Refinancing: Make a good deal better

Turn a good mortgage into a great deal

by : Jeanne Lee

Jeanne Lee is a freelance business and personal finance writer living in Brooklyn with her husband and son. Her work appears in Fortune, Money and Fortune Small Business, among other publications.

Jeanne Lee

Jeanne Lee is a freelance business and personal finance writer living in Brooklyn with her husband and son. Her work appears in Fortune, Money and Fortune Small Business, among other publications.

Gone are the days when you stuck with one mortgage for 30 years and paid it off just in time for retirement. If refinancing rates are anything to judge by, today's homeowners are continually on the lookout for a better deal on their home loans. Americans refinance every four years on average, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

"Today's homeowners are continually on the lookout for a better deal on their home loans, refinancing every four years on average."

Refinancing means renegotiating the terms of your loan, whether to lower the interest rate, change the repayment period, increase the amount of the loan, or switch to an adjustable-rate loan from a fixed, or vice versa. A new mortgage pays off the old one, and you begin making payments based on your new payment schedule and terms.

The simplest reason to refinance is to switch to a loan with a lower interest rate. Say you borrowed money to purchase your house at an interest rate of seven percent for a 30-year fixed-rate loan, and today's going rate is six-and-a-half percent. If you refinance, you'll have a lower interest rate over the life of your loan. However, that doesn't mean you'll necessarily save money in the deal, either over the long term or in your monthly payment. There's more to it than that. Refinancing costs money, and you may be charged for appraisal, origination, and insurance fees, plus title search and legal costs — all of which can add up to thousands of dollars. You may want to consider this rule of thumb: refinance if you can lower your rate by at least one percentage point.

But every case is different. For today's sophisticated consumers, there are many different scenarios in which refinancing makes sense, depending on your individual financial goals. If your income has increased and your priority is to get out of debt as soon as possible, you can refinance to a loan with a shorter repayment period — such as replacing a 30-year note with a 15-year note — which typically offers lower interest rates. To finance a major expenditure such as a home renovation, college tuition, or a new car, homeowners with significant equity in their house might opt for a "cash-out" refinancing, in which you increase the amount of principal you owe on your loan. If you're strapped for cash in the short term, you may lower your monthly payments by switching to a different type of mortgage (from a fixed to an adjustable-rate mortgage, for example) or by extending your repayment period, although these options may increase your total interest costs.

An important consideration is how long you intend to stay in your home. If you think you might move in a year or two, the transaction costs may outweigh potential savings you'd realize in such a short time frame. Another factor is whether there is a prepayment penalty on your current mortgage. When weighing the refinancing costs, you need to figure how long it will take to reach the break-even point, when your cost savings balance out the up-front fees associated with refinancing. For example, if your new monthly payment is $200 less per month, but you have to pay $5,000 in transaction costs, it will take you a little over two years to start saving money. To get a more precise estimate, enter the terms of the new mortgage into an online refinancing calculator that allows you to see whether it saves you money compared with your current deal.

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Financing a New Car

Many people dream of owning a new car. However, one of the biggest stumbling blocks is the cost of today's vehicles. Read this report to learn about automobile financing, especially before visiting a dealer's showroom.

Topics

1. Financing a New Car
2. Preapproval Can Be a Plus
3. Shop Around for Financing
4. Borrow From a Dealer
5. Borrow From a Bank, Credit Union, or Finance Company
6. Borrow Against Investments
7. The Quicker the Payback, the More You Save

1

Financing a New Car

Unless you're among the minority of people who pay cash, you need to quickly become an informed consumer on the subject of financing if you're considering buying a new car. For most new-car buyers, one of the biggest costs of purchasing a new car is interest on the loan that makes the purchase possible. But there are a variety of ways to finance a car, and knowing your options can help save you money.
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2

Preapproval Can Be a Plus

Just as you want to pay the best price for a car, you should also comparison shop for the best deal on a car loan. And the ideal time to shop for a car loan is before you shop for a car.

Getting your loan preapproved before you start looking for a car is like shopping with cash. You can drive the car right off the lot -- no more waiting for the loan to be approved and disbursed and taking the check back to the dealer. In most cases the loan can be approved by your lender in a couple of days.
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3

Shop Around for Financing

All lenders are not alike. You can save hundreds of dollars by shopping around to find the best financing deal. Before you sign anything, talk with several lending institutions so you'll know their current loan rates. Then see if a dealer can give you a better rate.

And even if you get a low loan rate, perhaps a promotional rate, watch out when the financing salesperson starts selling. You probably don't need the extra life insurance, extra accident or health insurance, or extra protection for their rustproofing and undercoating.
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4

Borrow From a Dealer

Convenience is the word here. With many car companies having their own lending affiliates like GMAC (General Motors Acceptance Corporation) you can choose a car and a loan in one application process. The process is usually quicker than applying for a bank loan, and dealers are more likely than banks to qualify buyers with less-than-perfect credit ratings. They also usually help customers with special needs, like first-time buyers and recent college graduates. Best of all, car companies sometimes offer low-rate promotional financing on certain models. (But don't expect discount financing on popular models.) The downside? Dealer financing can be more expensive, particularly for poorly informed buyers. (Dealers can sometimes make as much on the financing as on the sale itself!)

Negotiate the car's price before you talk about the terms of a loan, so the dealer can't hike the car's price to give you a lower-rate loan. Even if you get low dealer financing rates of 2% to 5%, there's a catch: these loans are usually short term. Since many must be repaid in 24 months, monthly payments can be steep.
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5

Borrow From a Bank, Credit Union, or Finance Company

Banks and credit unions usually offer set, nonnegotiable rates, often less expensive than dealer financing. (They are also less likely to push the unnecessary expense of credit life insurance, which ensures that the loan will be paid off if you die prematurely.) Membership credit unions that offer auto loans typically offer lower rates than banks and finance companies. But finance companies -- often the most expensive of all -- may accept borrowers who are greater credit risks.

In 1991, the IRS eliminated the income tax deduction for interest on most personal loans. The major exception is interest on a home equity loan, which is tax deductible on principal up to $100,000 no matter how you spend the money.

Some banks now offer "tax-smart" loans to give back the car-loan deduction to consumers. A tax-smart loan combines the ease of a regular auto loan with the tax deductibility of a home equity loan. With a tax-smart loan, you do not have to go through the closing procedures and expense required by a regular home equity loan. And you can usually borrow up to 100% of the equity in your home. Unlike a regular home equity loan, the primary collateral on a tax-smart loan is the automobile. To earn the tax benefit, a lien is placed on the home as well.

While tax-smart loans may be smart for the bank that offers them, they may not be such a great deal for the borrower. A tax-smart loan is safe for a bank to make: it has the security collateral of both your car and your house. The bank usually charges the same interest rate on a tax-smart loan as on a regular auto loan, which could be significantly more than the rate charged on a home equity loan.

Not only are you tying up the equity in your car and home for this loan, the savings you realize on the tax deduction may be less than the money you save with a lower-rate loan.
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6 Borrow Against Investments

Another option is to borrow at an attractive interest rate, with a flexible repayment plan, against a securities portfolio, passbook savings account, or a cash value life insurance policy.
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7

The Quicker the Payback, the More You Save

If you take out a loan for a car, get the shortest payback time you can comfortably handle. While monthly payments can be reduced by stretching them out over more time, only a lower interest rate, a smaller loan, or a shorter term will lower the total expense.

A $15,000 loan at 8% for five years, for example, will cost $3,240 in interest. You would save $672 if you paid an extra $62 a month for the same size loan over four years. The total interest cost would drop to $2,568.
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Summary

• When you have a preapproved loan it's like shopping with cash.
• Talk with several lenders such as banks, credit unions, or finance companies.
• If you discover a lower rate from a car dealer, be certain it's not a promotion requiring extra insurance or service, such as rustproofing.
• When taking out a loan, get the shortest payback time you can comfortably afford.
• You may be able to borrow against your investments, passbook savings account, or cash value life insurance and enjoy attractive rates and repayment terms.

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Buying Your First Home

Finding the right first home starts with a price range and a short list of desirable neighborhoods. But there are many other factors you'll need to consider before investing in what may be your biggest asset.

Before You Start

• Grab your current household budget so you can consider your financial situation and your ability to make mortgage payments.
• Ask family and friends if they can recommend experts, like a lawyer and an inspector, who can help with the home buying process.
• Think about your lifestyle and how it might affect your choice of home and neighborhood.
• Do a little research on current home prices in the neighborhoods you plan to target.

How-To Guides

• Buying Your First Home
• Your Retirement Checklist
• Using Credit Wisely
• Financing a New Car
• View more how-to guides

Calculators

• How much will college cost?
• Comprehensive mortgage calculator
• How much am I spending?
• How will payroll adjustments affect my take-home pay?
• How much will I need to save for retirement?
• View more calculators

Topics

1. Buying Your First Home
2. How Much Mortgage Can You Afford?
3. Costs of Buying a Home
4. Ongoing Costs
5. Choosing a Neighborhood
6. Finding a Broker

1

Buying Your First Home

Home ownership is the cornerstone of the American Dream. But before you start looking, there are a number of things you need to consider. First, you should determine what your needs are and whether owning your own home will meet those needs. Do you picture yourself mowing the lawn on Saturday, or leaving your urban condo for the beach? The best advice is to look at buying a home as a lifestyle investment, and only secondly as a financial investment.

Even if housing prices don't continue to increase at the torrid pace seen in recent years in many areas, buying a home can be a good financial investment. Making mortgage payments forces you to save, and after 15 to 30 years you will own a substantial asset that can be converted into cash to help fund retirement or a child's education. There are also tax benefits.

Like many other investments, however, real estate prices can fluctuate considerably. If you aren't ready to settle down in one spot for a few years, you probably should defer buying a home until you are. If you are ready to take the plunge, you'll need to determine how much you can spend and where you want to live.
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2

How Much Mortgage Can You Afford?

Many mortgages today are being resold in the secondary markets. The Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) is a government-sponsored organization that purchases mortgages from lenders and sells them to investors. Mortgages that conform to Fannie Mae's standards may carry lower interest rates or smaller down payments. To qualify, the mortgage borrower needs to meet two ratio requirements that are industry standards.

The housing expense ratio compares basic monthly housing costs to the buyer's gross (before taxes and other deductions) monthly income. Basic costs include monthly mortgage, insurance, and property taxes. Income includes any steady cash flow, including salary, self-employment income, pensions, child support, or alimony payments. For a conventional loan, your monthly housing cost should not exceed 28% of your monthly gross income.

The total obligations to income ratio is the percentage of all income required to service your total monthly payments. Monthly payments on student loans, installment loans, and credit card balances older than 10 months are added to basic housing costs and then divided by gross income. Your total monthly debt payments, including basic housing costs, should not exceed 36%.

Many home buyers choose to arrange financing before shopping for a home and most lenders will "prequalify" you for a certain amount. Prequalification helps you focus on homes you can afford. It also makes you a more attractive buyer and can help you negotiate a lower purchase price. Nothing is more disheartening for buyers or sellers than a deal that falls through due to a lack of financing.

In addition to qualifying for a mortgage, you will probably need a down payment. The 28% to 36% debt ratios assume a 10% down payment. In practice, down payment requirements vary from more than 20% to as low as 0% for some Veterans Administration (VA) loans. Down payments greater than 20% generally buy a better rate. Lowering the down payment increases leverage (the opportunity to make a profit using borrowed money) but also increases monthly payments.

How Much Home Can You Afford?

Bob and Janet's combined income is $50,000 a year, or $4,166 a month. Their housing expense ratio of 28% yields a monthly maximum of $1,166 for mortgage, insurance, and taxes ($4,166 x 0.28 = $1,166).

Their total debt ceiling of 36% is $1,583 (4,166 x 0.36 = $1,500). Their monthly debt payments include a $200 car payment, credit card payments of $100, and student loan payments of $200. Subtracting this total of $500 from the $1,500 permitted leaves $1,000 in monthly housing payments.
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3

Costs of Buying a Home

Many home buyers are surprised (shocked might be a better word) to find that a down payment is not the only cash requirement. A home inspection can cost $200 or more. Closing costs may include loan origination fees, up-front "points" (prepaid interest), application fees, appraisal fee, survey, title search and title insurance, first month's homeowners insurance, recording fees and attorney's fees. In many locales, transfer taxes are assessed. Finally, adjustments for heating oil or property taxes already paid by the sellers will be included in your final costs. All this will probably add up to be between 3% and 8% of your purchase price.
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4

Ongoing Costs

In addition to mortgage payments, there are other costs associated with home ownership. Utilities, heat, property taxes, repairs, insurance, services such as trash or snow removal, landscaping, assessments, and replacement of appliances are the major costs incurred. Make sure you understand how much you are willing and able to spend on such items.

Condominiums may not have the same costs as a house, but they do have association fees. Older homes are often less expensive to buy, but repairs may be greater than those in a newer home. When looking for a home, be sure to check the actual expenses of the previous owners, or expenses for a comparable home in the neighborhood.
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5

Choosing a Neighborhood

Before you start looking at homes, look at neighborhoods. Schools and other services play a large part in making a neighborhood attractive. Even if you don't have children, your future buyer may. Crime rates, taxes, transportation, and town services are other things to look at. Finally, learn the local zoning laws. A new pizza shop next door might alter your property's future value. On the other hand, you may want to run a business out of your home.

Look for a neighborhood where prices are increasing. As the prices of the better homes increase, values of the lesser homes may rise as well. If you find a less expensive home in a good neighborhood, make sure you factor in the cost of repairs or upgrades that such a house may need.
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6

Finding a Broker

If you are a first-time home buyer, you will probably want to work with a broker. Brokers know the market and can be a valuable source of information concerning the home buying process. Ask lots of questions, but remember that most brokers are working for the seller, and in the end, their primary obligation is to the seller and not to you. An alternative is a so-called buyer's broker. This individual does work for you, and therefore is paid by you. Seller's brokers are paid by the seller.

Make sure that the broker has access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This service lists all the properties for sale by most major brokers across the country. Brokerage commissions average 5% to 7% and are split between the listing broker and the broker that eventually sells the home. Don't be surprised if your broker is eager to sell you their own listing since they would then earn the entire commission.

Home Buying Costs
Down Payment	0% - 20% of purchase price
Home Inspection	$200 - $500
Points	$1,000 and up for 1% - 3%
Adjustments	3% - 8% of purchase price

Once you've determined a price range and location, you're ready to look at individual homes. Remember that much of a home's value is derived from the values of those surrounding it. Since the average residency in a house is seven years, consider the qualities that will be attractive to future buyers as well as those attractive to you.

Although it can be difficult, try to remember that you will probably want to sell this home someday. The more research you do today, the better your decision will look in the years to come.
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Summary

• Buying a home can mean building significant value through the years.
• Think carefully about how much you can afford to spend and consider borrowing guidelines like those used by Fannie Mae.
• Prequalifying with your lender is a good way to determine how much house you can afford.
• You will need cash for a down payment and closing costs. Generally speaking, the higher the down payment, the lower the interest rate and monthly mortgage payment.
• In addition to your mortgage payments, you will also need to consider the other costs of home ownership.
• Schools, taxes, services, crime rates, transportation, and zoning are important considerations when selecting a neighborhood.
• Brokers usually represent the seller, but they can be valuable sources of information for buyers as well. A broker that belongs to the Multiple Listing Service will be able to offer a wider variety of homes to choose from.
• Remember to consider resalability when buying your home.

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Buying Life Insurance: What Kind and How Much?

Finding the middle ground between being "insurance poor" and unprotected requires assessing real needs and choosing products that are affordable. This article introduces different types of insurance products and the role that they can play in a personal financial plan.

Before You Start

• Think about which members of your household should be covered by life insurance. (It's typically a good idea to insure anyone who earns income.)
• Find out whether you're eligible for group life insurance coverage at work. If you already have it, review the policy to understand exactly what benefits it provides.
• Keep in mind that you may not need life insurance if you have no dependents and nobody else relies on you for financial support.

How-To Guides

• Buying Your First Home
• Your Retirement Checklist
• Using Credit Wisely
• Financing a New Car
• View more how-to guides

Calculators

• How much will college cost?
• Comprehensive mortgage calculator
• How much am I spending?
• How will payroll adjustments affect my take-home pay?
• How much will I need to save for retirement?
• View more calculators

Topics

1. Buying Life Insurance: What Kind and How Much?
2. Types of Insurance
3. How Much Insurance Do I Need?
4. Other Types of Life Insurance
5. Conclusion

1

Buying Life Insurance

Conventional wisdom says that life insurance is sold, not purchased. In other words, some people are reluctant to discuss the importance of owning life insurance, and others are simply unaware of the need to have life insurance. Although many large companies provide life insurance as part of their benefits package, this coverage may be insufficient.

Who needs life insurance? If there are individuals who depend on you for financial support, or if you work at home providing your family with such services as child care, cooking, and cleaning, you need life insurance. Older couples also may need life insurance to protect a surviving spouse against the possibility of the couple's retirement savings being depleted by unexpected medical expenses. And individuals with substantial assets may need life insurance to help reduce the effects of estate taxes or to transfer wealth to future generations.
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2

Types of Insurance

Term insurance is the most basic, and generally least expensive, form of life insurance for people under age 50. A term policy is written for a specific period of time, typically 1 to 10 years, and may be renewable at the end of each term. Also, the premiums increase at the end of each term and can become prohibitively expensive for older individuals. A level term policy locks in the annual premium for periods of up to 30 years.

Declining Balance Term insurance, a variation on this theme, is often used as mortgage insurance since it can be written to match the amortization of your mortgage principal. While the premium stays constant over the term, the face value steadily declines. Once the mortgage is paid off, the insurance is no longer needed and the policy expires. Unlike many other policies, term insurance has no cash value. In this sense, it is "pure" insurance without any investment options. Benefits are paid only if you die during the policy's term. After the term ends, your coverage expires unless you choose to renew the policy. When buying term insurance, you might look for a policy that is renewable up to age 70 and convertible to permanent insurance without a medical exam.

Whole Life combines permanent protection with a savings component. As long as you continue to pay the premiums, you are able to lock in coverage at a level premium rate. Part of that premium accrues as cash value. As the policy gains value, you may be able to borrow up to 90% of your policy's cash value tax-free.

Universal Life is similar to whole life with the added benefit of potentially higher earnings on the savings component. Universal life policies are also highly flexible in regard to premiums and face value. Premiums can be increased, decreased or deferred, and cash values can be withdrawn. You may also have the option to change face values. Universal life policies typically offer a guaranteed return on cash value, usually at least 4%. You'll receive an annual statement that details cash value, total protection, earnings, and fees.

Drawbacks to this type of insurance include higher fees and interest rate sensitivity. Universal policies include up-front fees as well as ongoing administrative fees totaling as high as 5% to 7% of your premiums. You may also find your premiums increasing when interest rates decline.

Variable Life generally offers fixed premiums and control over your policy's cash value. Your cash value is invested in your choice of stock, bond, or money market funding options. Cash values and death benefits can rise and fall based on the performance of your investment choices. Although death benefits usually have a floor, there is no guarantee on cash values. Fees for these policies may be higher than for universal life, and investment options can be volatile. On the plus side, capital gains and other investment earnings accrue tax deferred as long as the funds remain invested in the insurance contract.

Universal Variable Life insurance is the most aggressive type of policy. Like variable life, you control your investment in mutual funds. However, there are no guarantees on universal variable policies beyond the original face value death benefit. These policies are probably best suited to affluent buyers who can afford the risks involved.

Key Terms and Definitions

• Face Value -- The original death benefit amount.
• Convertibility -- Option to convert from one type of policy (term) to another (whole life), usually without a physical examination.
• Cash Value -- The savings portion of a policy that can be borrowed against or cashed in.
• Premiums -- Monthly, quarterly, or yearly payments required to maintain coverage.
• Beneficiary -- The individual(s) or entity (e.g., trust) that is designated as benefit recipient.
• Paid Up -- A policy requiring no further premium payments due to prepayment or earnings.

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3

How Much Insurance Do I Need?

A popular approach to buying insurance is based on income replacement. In this approach, a formula of between five and ten times your annual salary is often used to calculate how much coverage you need. Another approach is to purchase insurance based on your individual needs and preferences. The first step is to determine your unique income replacement needs.

Currently, a large portion of your income goes to taxes (insurance benefits are generally income tax free) and to support your own lifestyle. Start off by determining your net earnings after taxes. Then add up all your personal expenses such as food, clothing, magazine subscriptions, club memberships, transportation expenses, etc. The remainder represents annual income that your insurance will need to replace. You'll want a death benefit amount which, when invested, will provide income annually to cover this amount. Then, you should add to that the amounts needed to fund one-time expenses such as college tuition for your children or paying down mortgage or debt.

Income replacement for nonworking spouses is an important and often overlooked insurance need. Coverage should provide for your costs for day care, housekeeping, or nursing care. Add to this any net earnings from part-time employment.

Finally, estimate your own "final expenses" such as estate taxes, uninsured medical costs, and funeral costs.
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4

Other Types of Life Insurance

Survivorship life insurance (also referred to as last-to-die or second-to-die) is a unique type of contract that insures the lives of two people. It pays a death benefit upon the death of the second insured. Therefore, it is typically less expensive than two individual policies. Survivorship life is often used for estate planning, where it may be possible to potentially leverage today's dollars -- via insurance premiums -- into a potentially significant death benefit that can be used to fund estate taxes, create wealth for future generations, or benefit a charity. These policies may be available if one insured is medically "uninsurable."

First-to-die life insurance insures the life of at least two people and pays a benefit upon the death of the first insured. This policy is useful for covering a mortgage or other large debt obligation where there is more than one debtor. In addition, it can be an ideal tool for funding a buy-sell agreement within a closely held business.
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5

Conclusion

Life insurance is an important component of a sound financial plan. Buying insurance involves asking a variety of personal lifestyle and financial questions. If you are not already working with an insurance professional, you may want to consider the advice of a fee-for-service financial planner who can offer you an objective review of your insurance options. When you decide on what you want, there are many solid insurance companies to choose from. Consult your library or an independent insurance professional for companies with the highest ratings from the four ratings agencies: AM Best, Duff Phelps, Standard & Poor's, and Moody's.
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Summary

• Term insurance is basic, inexpensive coverage with premiums that increase over time and have no cash value.
• Consider a term policy that is renewable and convertible to whole life should your needs change.
• Whole life provides level coverage with level premiums. A portion of those premiums goes into tax-deferred savings.
• Check rates on whole life policies and compare them to other investment opportunities.
• Variable life offers control over your investments.
• Premiums on variable policies are fixed, but face value and the value of your investments can fluctuate.
• Universal life offers more investment options, but is highly sensitive to interest rate changes. Universal variable life is highly flexible, but offers no guarantees beyond the original face value.
• Insurance needs are based on income replacement and personal preferences.

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15 Insurance Policies You Don't Need

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Fear of the future sells insurance. Because we can't predict the future, we want to be ready to cover our financial needs if, or when, something bad happens. Insurance companies understand this fear and offer a variety of insurance policies designed to protect us from a host of calamities that range from disability to disease and everything in between. While none of us wants anything bad to happen, many of the potential catastrophes that happen in our lives are not worth insuring against. In this article, we'll take you through 15 policies that you're probably better off without.

More from Investopedia.com: • Extended Warranties: Should You Take The Bait? • 9 Ways To Trim The Fat From Your Spending • 10 Insurance Tips For Homeowners

1. Private Mortgage Insurance

The infamous private mortgage insurance (PMI) is well known to homeowners because it increases the amount of their monthly mortgage payments. PMI is an insurance policy that protects the lender against loss when lending to a higher-risk borrower. The borrower pays for this insurance but derives no benefit. Fortunately, there are several ways to avoid paying for this unnecessary policy. PMI is required if you purchase a home with a down payment of less than 20% of the home's value. The small down payment is viewed as putting you at risk of defaulting on the loan. Put down at least 20% and the PMI requirement goes away. Alternatively, you can put down 10% and take out two loans, one for 80% of the sale price of the property and one for 10%, although interests rates can prevent the economics of this maneuver from working out in the homeowner's favor.

More from Yahoo! Finance: • Most, Least Expensive States for Car Insurance • 5 Things Never to Say to Your Insurers • Is This the Safest House in the World? Visit the Insurance Center

2. Extended Warranties

Extended warranties are available on a host of appliances and electronics. From a consumer's perspective, they are rarely used, particularly on small items such as DVD players and radios. If you purchase a reputable, brand-name product, you can be fairly certain it will work as advertised and that the extended warranty is statistically likely to be unnecessary. If you spend $5,000 on a giant, flat-screen television, the policy is still unlikely to pay off, but might make you feel better. For everything else, forget it.

3. Automobile Collision

Collision insurance is designed to cover the cost of repairs to your vehicle if you are involved in an accident. If you have a loan out on the car, the loan issuer is likely to require that you have collision insurance. If your car is paid off, collision is optional; therefore, if you have enough money in the bank to cover the cost of a new car, collision insurance may be an unnecessary expense. This is particularly true if you are driving an old car, because cars depreciate so quickly that many vehicles are worth only a fraction of their purchase price by the time the loan is paid in full.

4. Rental Car Insurance

Most auto insurance policies offer additional coverage for the cost of car rentals, touting it as a useful feature if your car is ever involved in an accident and needs to spend some time in the repair shop. This may sound like a good idea, but in reality, most people rarely rent a car, and when they do, the cost is relatively low and hardly worth insuring against. Although rental car insurance is relatively inexpensive, amortized over the course of a lifetime you are still likely to spend far more than you will benefit.

5. Car Rental Damage Insurance

Many auto insurance policies already cover rentals, so there's no need to pay for this twice. Check your policy before you pay. Depending on where you rent the vehicle, you may also be able to pay a small fee for insurance on your rental when you pick it up at the rental center. If this fee is less than what you'd pay for a year in your old policy, choose the fee over the policy.

6. Flight Insurance

Flight insurance coverage is completely unnecessary. Despite media portrayal, airline accidents are relatively rare, and your life insurance policy should already provide coverage in the event of a catastrophe.

7. Water Line Coverage

Water companies have made an aggressive push to sell policies that cover the repair of the water line that runs from the street to your house. The odds are in your favor that you will never use this coverage, particularly if you live in a newer home. If you live an average suburban neighborhood and you do need to repair the water line, the distance to the street is short, the likelihood of a problem is low and repair costs are a few thousand dollars or less. The same goes for policies offered by other utility companies.

8. Life Insurance for Children

Life insurance is designed to provide a safety net for your heirs/dependents. Because children don't have heirs to worry about and, statistically speaking, most kids will grow up safe and healthy, most parents should not purchase life insurance for their kids. Instead, use the money that you would have spent on life insurance to fund an education plan or an individual retirement account (IRA).

9. Flood Insurance

Unless you live in a flood plain or an area with a history of water problems, don't even bother buying flood insurance. If none of the homes in the area has ever been flooded, yours is unlikely to be the first.

10. Credit Card Insurance

Purchasing coverage to pay your credit card bill in the event you cannot pay it is a waste of money. A far better idea is to avoid running up your credit cards in the first place, so you won't need to worry about the bills. Not only do you not save on the insurance premiums, you'll also save the interest on your debt.

11. Credit Card Loss Insurance

Federal law limits your liability if your credit card is stolen. Your out-of-pocket costs are limited to $50 per card and not a penny more. In fact, many credit card companies don't even try to collect the $50.

12. Mortgage Life Insurance

Mortgage life insurance pays off your house in the event of your death. Rather than add another policy - and another bill - to your list of insurance plans, it makes more sense to get a term-life policy instead. A good life insurance policy will provide enough money to pay off the mortgage and to cover other expenses as well. After all, the mortgage isn't the only bill your survivors will need to pay.

13. Unemployment Insurance

This coverage makes minimum payments on your bills if you are out of work, which sounds like an attractive proposition. A better plan is to save your money and build up an emergency fund instead. You won't have to cover the cost of the insurance policy and, if you are never out of work, you won't spend any money at all.

14. Disease Insurance

Policies are available to cover cancer, heart disease and other maladies. Instead of trying to identify every possible disease that you may encounter, get a good medical coverage policy instead. This way, your medical bills will be covered regardless of the problem you face.

15. Accidental-Death Insurance

Unless you are extraordinarily accident prone, an accident is unlikely. Major catastrophes such as car wrecks and fires are covered under other policies, as is any harm that comes to you while at work. Accidental-death policies are often fraught with stipulations that make them difficult to collect on, so skip the hassles and get life insurance instead.

When Choosing Insurance

There are so many policies to chose from, and they all cost money. While a certain amount of insurance coverage is necessary and prudent, you need to choose carefully. In general, broad policies that offer coverage for a multitude of potential events are a better choice than limited-scope policies that focus on specific diseases or potential incidents. Before you buy any policy, read it carefully to make sure that you understand the terms, coverage and costs. Don't sign on the dotted line until you are comfortable with the coverage and are sure that you need it.

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Bagaimana mengetahui berat ideal anda?

Banyak cara yang dilakukan orang untuk mencari berat ideal mereka. Cara yang paling umum dilakukan adalah mengurangi tinggi badan dengan 110. Jadi misalkan tinggi anda 180 cm artinya berat ideal anda adalah 70 kg.

Meskipun cara ini sangat mudah, kenyataannya cara ini dianggap kurang akurat. WHO atau badan kesehatan dunia menyarankan suatu cara menentukan berat badan ideal anda berdasarkan BMI atau Body Mass Index. Dan ini adalah panduannya:

Jika BMI anda <18 anda terlalu kurus
Jika BMI anda antara 18.5-22.9 anda temasuk ideal
Jika BMI anda antara 23.0-26.9 anda temasuk kelebihan berat badan
Jika BMI anda antara 27.0-35 anda temasuk kategori obesitas
Jika BMI anda antara >35 anda temasuk kategori obesitas morbid yang artinya dapat menyebabkan kematian.

Nah, bagaimana cara menghitung BMI anda?

Simpel, yang perlu anda lakukan adalah membagi berat badan anda dalam kg dengan tinggi badan dalam meter yang dikwadratkan.

Berat badan (kg) / (tinggi badan (m) x tinggi badan (m))

Misalkan berat anda 90kg dan tinggi anda 165 cm artinya BMI anda adalah 90 / (1,65 x 1,65) = 33 artinya anda berada dalam kategori obesitas.

So,

Sekarang anda bisa mencek BMI anda. Kalau dengan cara seperti ini dirasakan masih ribet, saya memiliki tools sederhana yang bisa menghitung BMI dalam hitungan detik!

Dalam edisi berikut anda akan mengerti apa yang menyebabkan anda naik berat badan alias jadi gemuk.

Mengapa kita jadi gemuk?

Seperti yang anda telah pelajari, anda saat ini tentunya sudah, mengerti berapa BMI (Body Mass Index) anda. Saat ini anda perlu mengerti kenapa kok kita naik berat badan.

Hal ini adalah apa yang perlu anda mengerti:

1. Badan kita membakar sejumlah kalori tertentu setiap harinya. Kalori yang dibakar oleh tubuh tiap orang berbeda. Sekarang kita anggap rata-rata wanita indonesia badannya mampu membakar 1300 kilokalori atau singkatnya kalori per hari. (dalam keadaan tanpa olahraga atau dikenal sebagai RMR atau Resting Metabolic Rate). Untuk pria, tubuhnya mampu membakar lebih tinggi - antara 2.200 - 2.500 kalori.
2. Setiap makanan dan minuman memiliki jumlah kalori tertentu. Contohnya 1 gelas Starbucks memiliki kira-kira 600 kalori. (air putih kalorinya = 0. jadi mau minum sebanyak apapun gak bikin gemuk. Artinya mitos air putih bikin gemuk gak bener gitu loh he he he)
3. Kelebihan kalori yang masuk ke badan kita akan secara otomatis dirubah badan kita menjadi cadangan makanan berupa lemak.
4. Dengan demikian kalau kita mau turun berat badan, kita perlu mengkonsumsi kalori lebih sedikit dari yang dibakar badan kita. Karena kekurangan kalori yang dibutuhkan akan diambil dari cadangan di badan kita yaitu lemak. Makanya kita akan turun berat badan. Tantangannya adalah kita harus mengkonsumsi makanan dalam kalori rendah tapi tetap memenuhi kebutuhan gizi dan nutrisi badan kita. Kalau kita hanya sekedar ngurangin makan atau diet dg cara radikal malah membuat metabolisme badan kita jadi lambat n walhasil turun berat badan jadi sulit.
5. Kalo kalori yang kita masukkan = kalori yang dibakar maka berat badan kita akan stabil.
6. Kalo kita mau turun rata2 1kg per minggu, kita perlu mengkonsumsi kalori 500 kalori kurang dari yang dibakar oleh badan sehari2. Di contoh diatas, quota kalori yang bisa dimasukkan ke badan anda adalah 1450-500 = kira2 900 kalori.

Sekarang kita lihat pola makan tipikal orang Indonesia:

· Pagi: 2 lembar roti plus selai (300 kalori) 1 gelas teh manis (150 kalori)

· Cemilan pagi 2 potong gorengan = 150 kalori

· Makan siang (600 kalori) minuman bersoda (200 kalori)

· Cemilan sore pergi ke Starbucks minum Vanilla Latte (600 kalori) muffin (300 kalori)

· Makan malam (600 kalori)

Nah kalo ditotal apa yang anda makan jumlahnya 2900 kalori padahal badan anda hanya mampu membakar 1400 kalori. Yang terjadi kelebihan kalori yang sejumlah 1500 kalori disimpan badan kita jadi cadangan alias lemak.

Kalau anda tipe orang yang kelebihan berat badan, lebih baik waspada dari sekarang karena yang namanya gemuk tidak ada yang sehat. Jika anda tidak berada pada berat badan yang ideal, anda akan memperbesar resiko terserang penyakit seperti Diabetes tipe 2, jantung, kanker, dan stroke. Faktanya, 90% orang yang mengidap Diabetes tipe 2 adalah orang yang gemuk. (Yang parah adalah kalo udah gemuk bilangnya yang penting cantik dan sexy, padahal kalo langsing pasti kan jadi lebih cantik dan lebih sexy toh?)

Tantangan terbesar anda untuk menurunkan berat badan adalah menemukan suatu program nutrisi yang akan memberikan semua kebutuhan badan anda dengan kalori yang rendah, dan di saat yang sama akan memperbaiki tingkat kesehatan dan stamina anda.

Secara pribadi, saya memiliki pola makan sarapan yang sangat buruk. Saya biasa terlambat dan bahkan tidak sarapan! akibatnya, saya sering KELAPARAN ! Saya juga punya masalah pencernaan yang buruk, karena tiap kali makan makanan pedas saya harus buru-buru ke toilet untuk (maaf) buang air besar! Akhirnya, akhirnya saya mengalami maag akut.

Bagaimana menurunkan berat badan secara permanen

Penyebab kenaikan berat badan seseorang sebenarnya bisa disimpulkan dalam 1 kata, yaitu HABIT.

Kebiasaan yang telah berjalan selama bertahun-tahun dan telah menjadi bagian hidup anda, contohnya adalah sikat gigi. Setiap pagi anda sikat gigi tanpa pernah berpikir "Hari ini saya enaknya sikat gigi nggak ya?".

Sikat gigi sudah jadi HABIT anda yang otomatis anda lakukan tiap hari tanpa berpikir lagi.

Kenaikan berat badan anda juga dikarenakan habit atau kebiasaan buruk anda. Mulai dari kebiasaan nyemil, makan goreng-gorengan, pemilihan makanan yang buruk, termasuk juga kurangnya aktifitas. Masalahnya adalah, kebiasaan itu, membuat anda secara perlahan tapi pasti naik berat badan. Kenaikan yang perlahan inilah yang kadang tidak disadari sampai akhirnya anda merasa baju kita nggak muat semua dan dokter mengatakan anda harus turun berat badan karena anda punya gejala sakit jantung.

Kalau misalnya anda makan gorengan hari ini dan besok langsung naik 10 kg, pastinya anda akan berhenti makan gorengan dengan segera kan?

Sekarang mari kita meramalkan berat badan anda di masa yang akan datang:

1. Ingat-ingat berapa berat ideal anda dulu, dan sudah berapa tahun yang lalu? Misalkan berat ideal anda dulu 60 kg dan itu sudah 5 tahun yang lalu.
2. Ketahui berapa berat badan anda sekarang. Misalkan 75 kg.

Dari pertanyaan diatas, anda bisa menyimpulkan kalau dalam 5 tahun terakhir berat badan anda naik 15 kg. Yang juga perlu anda ketahui adalah kenaikan berat anda terutama disebabkan kebiasaan anda seperti nyemil, kurang aktifitas, dsb.

Nah, kalau anda sekarang tidak mulai merubah habit anda, (tetap nyemil, makan yang berlemak, dsb) dapat diramalkan kalau berat badan anda dalam 5 tahun kedepan akan naik 15 kg lagi! Saat ini terjadi mungkin anda akan sudah banyak masalah dengan kesehatan anda.

Dengan kata lain, kalau anda ingin turun berat badan yang permanen, anda harus memperbaiki habit anda! Bukan mencoba turun berat badan dengan cara-cara yang fantastis. Dan saat ini adalah saat yang paling tepat untuk anda mulai merubah kebiasaan anda.

Apa itu nutrisi?

Ok, sekarang anda akan tahu salah satu rahasia penurunan berat badan yang sehat yaitu nutrisi yang seimbang.

Apa itu nutrisi? secara konsep nutrisi berbeda dengan makanan. Makanan adalah segala sesuatu yang kita makan.

Nutrisi adalah apa yang terkandung dalam makanan tersebut. Secara simpelnya anda harus mengkonsumsi makanan yang memiliki nilai nutrisi yang seimbang.

Gambar dibawah ini, sering kita temukan dalam setiap kemasan makanan.

Di Indonesia, si produsen makanan ini sudah harus mendapatkan ijin / lisensi dari Badan POM atau Sertifikasi Halal dari MUI.

Tantangan Anda

Anda memerlukan nutrisi yang memenuhi semua kebutuhan badan anda, tapi dengan nilai kalori yang rendah. Saat ini dengan pola kehidupan yang serba cepat, orang memiliki kecenderungan untuk memilih makanan yang cepat saji, yang sebetulnya memiliki nilai nutrisi yang sangat buruk dengan jumlah kalori yang berlebihan. Atau dikenal juga dengan kalori kosong.

Secara logika orang akan berpikir, untuk mengkonsumsi kalori lebih sedikit artinya kita perlu makan lebih sedikit. Dan kita akan mulai ber"diet" ala sendiri. Problem utama dari diet yang mengurangi makan adalah pada saat yang bersamaan dengan berkurangnya konsumsi makanan anda, anda juga mengurangi nilai nutrisi yang masuk ke dalam diri anda.

Saat anda mengurangi nutrisi yang masuk ke badan anda, badan anda akan mengalami defisiensi nutrisi. Keadaan ini justru memperlambat metabolisme anda. Jika kondisi ini terus berlanjut, anda akan merasa cepat lelah atau lesu, dan mudah mengalami stress. Dan jika terus berlanjut lagi, badan anda akan mengalami break-down. Biasanya anda akan mengalami masalah dengan kesehatan anda. Bisa dalam bentuk gangguan pencernaan seperti maag, dsb.

Saat anda bermasalah dengan kesehatan, anda akan cenderung kembali untuk makan normal. Kecenderungannya adalah anda biasanya akan makan dengan porsi makan yang lebih besar dibanding sebelum berdiet (dikenal dengan "balas dendam"). Hasilnya anda akan kembali gemuk. Ini adalah penyebab mengapa banyak dari orang yang mengalami diet YO-YO. Turun tapi kemudian naik lagi. Dan saat anda menggemuk kembali anda akan ber-diet lagi. Proses ini terus berlanjut seperti lingkaran yang tidak pernah berakhir.

Ber-diet dengan cara tidak makan atau puasa adalah cara yang terburuk dalam sejarah penurunan berat badan.

So, bagaimana anda dapat menemukan makanan dengan kalori yang rendah tapi penuh dengan nutrisi yang dibutuhkan badan anda?
Almost Impossible! Salah satu solusi adalah dengan menggunakan suplementasi.

Memperbaiki pola makan anda

Memperbaiki pola makan adalah salah satu rahasia terbesar untuk mengontrol berat badan anda secara permanen. Banyak orang mencoba untuk menurunkan berat badan dengan cara seperti akupunktur, sedot lemak, diet, olahraga berat, dsb, tapi mereka tidak merubah kebiasaan buruk mereka.

Nah, sekarang bayangkan jika anda telah turun berat badan dengan cara apapun itu, tapi anda tetap dengan kebiasaan lama anda seperti ngemil, makan terlalu banyak gorengan, minum soda, makan makanan yang mengandung lemak tinggi, dsb, pastinya berat badan anda akan naik lagi kan? Sebagian yang tidak mengerti akan hal ini akan menyalahkan program penurunan berat badan yang dijalankannya. Mereka mengatakan kalau percuma nyoba turun berat badan pakai cara ini dan itu, tapi hasilnya ya naik lagi. Padahal penyebab naik lagi ya diri kita sendiri.

Tips dan Panduan Dalam Memperbaiki Pola Makan Anda :

1. Kurangi karbohidrat yang buruk seperti roti, nasi, mie, kentang, pasta. Anda bisa perbanyak dengan karbohidrat yang baik yang biasanya terdapat dalam sayur-sayuran. Kurangi juga racun putih antara lain gula, garam yang biasanya banyak terdapat dalam makanan cepat saji dan cemilan. Ingin tau efek samping yang ditimbulkan oleh karbohidrat yang terlalu banyak??
2. Perbanyak makan sayuran dan buah-buahan.
3. Konsumsi protein yang cukup. Protein akan membuat anda kenyang lebih lama. Berbeda dengan karbohidrat, semakin banyak anda konsumsi, semakin cepat anda lapar. Protein terbaik berasal dari nabati seperti tahu dan tempe. Putih telur juga sumber protein yang baik. Jika anda suka makan daging, yang terbaik adalah daging ayam (bagian dada), dan ikan. Daging sapi kurang baik untuk anda karena badan anda akan membutuhkan banyak energi untuk mengolahnya yang membuat anda merasa mudah lelah. Bandingkan perbedaan tingkat energi anda setelah makan steak dengan makan salad!
4. Minum air putih yang cukup. Sekitar 8-12 gelas per hari. Kurangi minuman bersoda atau yang mengandung kadar gula yang tinggi.

Tentunya untuk merubah pola makan anda perlu perjuangan. Jika anda melakukan panduan diatas selama minimum 21 hari, tanpa anda sadari, anda akan memiliki pola atau habit yang baru. Dan pola yang baru ini akan lebih mudah anda pertahankan karena sudah menjadi kebiasaan anda (sama halnya dengan anda sikat gigi tiap hari).

Kenapa banyak yang melakukan kesalahan

Saya heran kalau anda sudah membaca sampai sejauh ini, dan belum mengambil 'action' untuk memulai program turun berat badan Anda.

Tapi, saya mengerti jika anda belum siap. Memang diperlukan banyak kesiapan untuk memulai program penurunan berat badan dan tentunya komitmen. Jika kondisi anda seperti ini, anda tetap sarapan pagi kan ?

Yuk, kita awali dengan mengubah sarapan pagi anda dengan program ini - dan tanpa harus 'berkomitmen' lebih untuk program penurunan berat badan. Jika anda sudah 'siap', barulah kita masuk ke program menurunkan berat badan.

Berikut ini ada beberapa alasan utama kenapa orang gagal dengan program diet mereka:

1. Selalu menunda (procrastinate): "Saya akan mulai turun berat badan hari Senin" atau "Saya akan mulai kalau anak saya sudah besar" atau "Saya akan mulai kalau semua keadaan sudah mendukung" adalah hanya beberapa contoh alasan penundaan. Faktanya adalah tidak akan pernah ada waktu yang tepat untuk memulai! Kalau anda selalu beralasan seperti itu anda tidak akan pernah sukses dengan program anda. Waktu terbaik untuk memulai adalah sekarang!
2. Berada dalam lingkungan yang tidak mendukung. Meskipun ini bukan menjadi penyebab utama, tapi sangat berpengaruh. Jika anda adalah seorang ibu rumah tangga yang selalu berkumpul dengan komunitas yang isinya adalah orang-orang yang tidak mempedulikan kesehatan dan penampilan mereka, peluang anda untuk tergoda saat menjalankan program anda sangat besar. Pilih lingkungan tempat anda bergaul dengan hati-hati.
3. Tidak ada dukungan dari orang terdekat. Sebagian besar penurunan berat badan yang sukses adalah karena adanya dukungan orang terdekat anda, baik itu suami, istri atau anak anda. Bisa juga pacar anda atau sahabat anda. Tapi sekali lagi semua ini kembali ke diri anda.
4. Tidak ada komitmen yang kuat. Anda tidak bisa memulai diet anda dengan setengah hati. Komitmen untuk menyelesaikan program anda adalah sangat penting atau anda akan mengalami yang namanya diet yo-yo atau turun kemudian naik lagi. Jadi kalau anda masih setengah hati mau turun berat badan, sebaiknya anda tidak usah memulai sama sekali.
5. Memilih cara yang salah untuk program diet anda. Ini merupakan salah satu faktor terbesar yang menyebabkan kegagalan diet. Kalau anda tidak tahu cara yang benar untuk menurunkan berat badan dan mengikuti cara yang salah, anda akan dipastikan akan menemui kekecewaan yang nantinya justru membuat komitmen dan motivasi anda semakin melemah. Bukan hanya itu saja, anda dapat saja membahayakan kesehatan anda.
   

Yang saya jelaskan di atas hanyalah 5 dari banyak faktor yang menyebabkan kegagalan diet. Tentunya masih banyak lagi faktor yang mengganggu program diet anda. 5 faktor diatas adalah faktor utama yang menyebabkan orang menyerah dengan usaha mereka untuk mendapat berat badan yang ideal.

Sudah makan makanan bebas lemak, kok masih gemuk?

Topik hari ini adalah topik yang menurut saya sangat penting. Disini saya akan memberikan anda sedikit "ilmu" gimana caranya membaca label yang ada di hampir tiap kemasan makanan yang anda beli di supermarket atau dimanapun itu. Sekarang ini hampir semua makanan memberikan "Nutrition Facts" atau komposisi nutrisi yang terkandung di produk tersebut dan ini tertera di labelnya.

Nah disinilah kita suka tertipu. Banyak produk di pasaran yang menawarkan produk dengan embel-embel low fat, non- fat, fat-free dan sebagainya. Untuk orang yang kepengen turun berat badan biasanya akan langsung tergiur dengan tawaran ini karena mereka akan berpikir "wah... kalo bebas lemak bisa saya makan donk kan gak bikin gemuk?"

Kesalahan terbesar ada pada persepsi atau anggapan kebanyakan orang yang mengatakan kalau "lemak itu bikin gemuk. Jangan makan makanan yang berlemak nanti gemuk loh!"

Nah sebenarnya apa yang terjadi ya kok kita udah makan makanan yang fat-free atau makanan berlabel "DIET" tapi kok bukannya tambah langsing malah tambah gemuk?

Kita kembali lagi ke pelajaran terdahulu. Aturan umumnya adalah: kalau anda mengkonsumsi kalori lebih banyak dari yang anda keluarkan, badan anda akan mengubah kelebihan kalori itu jadi simpanan yang namanya lemak.

Nah sekarang setiap makanan pasti mengandung kalori. Mau susu non-fat kek atau fat-free dressing kek atau produk diet apapun pasti ada kalorinya. Setiap apapun yang kita makan mengandung kalori. Saat badan kita bergerak atau melakukan aktifitas sehari-hari, kita membakar kalori.

Misalkan badan anda membakar 1300 kalori per hari dan anda makan makanan dengan total 1500 kalori dalam sehari, kelebihan kalori tersebut akan dirubah jadi lemak. Nah, makanan yang fat-free atau non-fat bukan berarti bebas kalori. Biasanya kalorinya masih juga tinggi. Contohnya ya..... anda seharian minum susu non-fat, yoghurt non-fat, biskuit low-fat, diet cola dan lain-lainnya yang berlabelkan serba diet. Nah misalkan total kalori yang anda makan dari produk diet tersebut adalah 1500 kalori padahal badan anda hanya membakar 1300 kalori, walhasil ada kelebihan 200 kalori yang akan disimpan badan anda jadi persediaan lemak.
Nah sudah ngerti kan kenapa makanan yang non-fat bukan berarti bisa dimakan sebanyak-banyaknya?

Sekarang anda harus belajar bagaimana caranya membaca label makanan. Waspada dengan label non-fat karena anda harus cek sebenarnya berapa besar kalori yang terkandung didalamnya? Kalau kalorinya ternyata besar, ya sama aja boong kalau tujuan anda adalah untuk mengontrol berat badan anda.

Satu hal lagi yang orang suka gak ngerti adalah mengenai takaran saji. Misalkan disalah satu minuman soda tertera kalori per takaran saji adalah 80 kalori. Kemudian disebutkan kalau takaran saji adalah 100 mililiter. Nah kalo kita gak ngerti pasti langsung tergiur untuk membeli minuman tersebut dan langsung di minum sampai habis berhubung siang panas terik. Yang kita lupa lihat adalah kalau dalam satu kemasan tersebut isinya adalah 400 mililiter. Artinya kalau anda langsung minum satu botol itu, kalori yang anda masukkan adalah 80 kalori x 4 takaran saji yaitu sama dengan 320 kalori! Gak heran banyak orang jadi overweight karena mereka gak ngerti.

Nah ngitung kalori memang gak gampang n gak nyaman. Tapi kalau anda terbiasa, hal ini akan jadi hal yang mudah dan anda akan mendapatkan benefit di jangka panjang.

Mitos Seputar Berat Badan

Kalau masalah penurunan berat badan, kita akan banyak mendengar mitos yang kita bahkan tidak tahu kebenarannya.

Berikut ini beberapa mitos yang sering kita dengar sehari-hari, dan bagaimana anda dapat menyikapinya.

MITOS # 1: Minum air putih / air dingin terlalu banyak membuat gemuk.

Yang satu ini benar-benar hanya mitos. Kembali lagi ke newsletter anda sebelumnya mengenai kenapa kita naik berat badan, anda sudah tahu kita akan naik berat badan kalau total kalori yang kita konsumsi lebih besar dari total kalori yang dibakar badan kita. Nah, yang anda perlu tahu, air putih itu tidak ada kalorinya alias 0 (NOL). Jadi intinya air putih tidak akan membuat anda gemuk. Anda bahkan membutuhkan antara 8-12 gelas air puith per hari untuk kesehatan dan fungsi tubuh yang optimal.

MITOS # 2: Saya Keturunan Gemuk

Kata-kata ini ada benarnya tapi juga bisa dibilang kurang tepat. Benar karena anda mewarisi gen dari kedua orang tua anda. Gen ini menentukan apakah anda tipe orang yang mudah gemuk atau tidak. Kurang tepat karena ini bukan penyebab utama anda gemuk.
Anda gemuk pada dasarnya sebagian besar disebabkan karena kebiasaan yang diturunkan. Misalnya ayah dan ibu anda suka makan makanan yang bersantan, dan masakannya selalu bersantan dan berlemak atau berkalori tinggi. Otomatis apa yang tersedia di meja makan untuk satu keluarga tentunya akan anda makan juga sebagai anggota keluarga. Otomatis, anda sering lihat satu keluarga yang ayah, ibu dan anak-anaknya gemuk semua. Sebetulnya itu tidak perlu terjadi kalau anda bisa mengatur pola makan anda dengan benar dan memiliki aktifitas yang cukup. (Jadi jangan berdalih kalau anda gemuk karena keturunan ya....) karena pada intinya anda yang memilih apa yang anda makan.

MITOS # 3: Makan malam bikin gemuk?

Makan malam tidak akan membuat anda gemuk kalau anda tepat waktu makannya. Normalnya anda bisa makan malam antara jam 18.00 - 19.00. Yang membuat anda lebih mudah gemuk adalah kalau ada tukang nasi goreng tek-tek lewat jam 11 malam, kemudian anda beli, dan setelah makan anda ngantuk dan langsung tidur. Otomatis Badan anda akan mengubah kelebihan kalori tersebut menjadi persediaan lemak.

MITOS # 4: Saya akan turun berat badan kalau mengurangi makan / tidak makan.

Ini adalah sesuatu yang kurang tepat. Benar, untuk menurunkan berat badan, anda harus mengurangi jumlah kalori yang masuk, atau dengan kata lain, kalori yang masuk harus lebih kecil dibanding kalori yang dibakar. Masalahnya adalah kalau anda mengurangi makan atau kalori yang masuk, otomatis anda juga mengurangi kebutuhan gizi yang dibutuhkan badan anda. Yang terjadi justru sebaliknya, badan anda akan memperlambat metabolismenya, anda akan semakin sulit turun berat badan, dan kalaupun anda turun berat badan, berat anda akan naik lagi seperti semula atau bahkan lebih berat.

Jadi yang anda perlukan adalah nutrisi yang memberikan tubuh anda nutrisi yang lengkap dan seimbang, yang memenuhi semua kebutuhan anda sehari-hari tapi dengan kalori yang rendah. Hal ini adalah sesuatu yang mustahil di kehidupan saat ini yang serba cepat. Itulah sebabnya saya menyarankan program ShapeWorks untuk membantu anda memenuhi kebutuhan nutrisi anda dan tetap menjaga kesehatan, dan pada saat yang sama membantu anda untuk menurunkan berat badan.

Mengapa SEKARANG ?

Ini adalah newsletter anda yang terakhir. Dan ini merupakan surat terakhir dari saya sebagai ucapan terima kasih untuk anda telah menjadi subscriber yang setia sampai sejauh ini. Untuk saya, newsletter ini adalah bagian terpenting dari program penurunan berat badan anda.

Banyak orang suka menunda untuk melakukan sesuatu. Termasuk tentunya untuk menurunkan berat badan. Ada yang bilang, "Ah, saya tunggu tanggal 1 bulan depan supaya pas mulainya" atau "Saya nunggu sampai suami saya mengijinkan" atau "Saya akan mulai turun berat badan kalau anak saya sudah mulai sekolah" dan masih banyak lagi "alasan" lainnya yang bisa anda ciptakan.

Keadaan ini disebut PROCRASTINATION atau suka Menunda sampai semuanya sempurna atau PERFECT. (Ini sama aja dengan mengatakan kalau huruf i yang gak ada titiknya artinya bukan huruf i)

Intinya cuma satu. Tidak akan pernah ada waktu yang sempurna. Tanggal 1 akan memiliki tantangan tersendiri. Atau misalkan, suami anda atau istri anda tidak mengijinkan, apakah anda akan diam saja dan tetap gemuk dan pura-pura Happy?

Waktu terbaik untuk anda mulai program penurunan berat badan dan mencapai goal kesehatan anda adalah SEKARANG, NOW!

Kenapa anda harus menunggu? Kesehatan anda adalah sesuatu yang tidak bisa menunggu. Apakah anda harus bermasalah dengan kesehatan dulu baru berniat untuk mulai menurunkan berat badan anda? Atau anda harus menunggu sampai dokter pribadi anda mengatakan kalau anda harus menurunkan berat badan anda karena anda bermasalah dengan jantung anda?

Pepatah lebih baik mencegah daripada mengobati kayaknya masih berlaku sampai sekarang.

Andalah yang menentukan kehidupan anda dan berat badan anda. Tidak ada yang bisa mengontrol kehidupan dan kesehatan anda selain anda sendiri. Suami anda tidak bisa melakukannya untuk anda. Suami / Istri anda tidak bisa mengontrol kesehatan anda.
Anda bertanggung jawab penuh dengan keadaan anda saat ini.

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