No matter what the reason, successful weight loss and healthy weight management depend on sensible goals and expectations. If you set sensible goals for yourself, chances are you'll be more likely to meet them and have a better chance of keeping the weight off. In fact, losing even five to 10 percent of your weight is the kind of goal that can help improve your health.
Most overweight people should lose weight gradually. For safe and healthy weight loss, try not to exceed a rate of two pounds per week. Sometimes, people with serious health problems associated with obesity may have legitimate reasons for losing weight rapidly.
What you weigh is the result of several factors:
-how much and what kinds of food you eat
-whether your lifestyle includes regular physical activity
-whether you use food to respond to stress and other situations in your life
-your physiologic and genetic make-up
-your age and health status.
Successful weight loss and weight management should address all of these factors. And that's the reason to ignore products and programs that promise unrealistic quick and easy results, or that promise permanent results without permanent changes in your lifestyle. Any ad that says you can lose weight without lowering the calories you take in and/or increasing your physical activity is selling fantasy and false hope. In fact, some people would call it fraud.
Why Fad Diets Don't Work
The world has an unhealthy obsession with 'fad' diets. This is due to the American culture's need for a magic bullet or solution that provides immediate gratification. Technically a diet simply refers to what you eat any day. In the truest sense, we are all on a diet daily - the question is, is it healthy or not.
It can get pretty confusing because one is assaulted daily with claims from diet gurus. Also sky-high book sales from diet plans promoting diets that restrict certain foods or food combining tells us that these diets are healthy. This is not necessarily true. The diet may work for the short term but you could end up with a heart attack, problem skin, kidney failure and even malnutrition!
There is continuing controversy between the "diet" experts about which diet works best. One book advises to avoid all carbohydrates, yet another promotes carbohydrates. Some suggest that you consume a high fat, high protein diet consisting of no carbohydrates, while another may say that eating no fat is the key to weight loss success. Who do we believe, and what do we believe? I'm not discred iting all weight-loss programs and products. Those few that focus on permanent lifestyle changes, correct information, and proper nutrition are the weight loss programs that are the most successful.
Fad diets don't work because they cause you to focus more on food than you would if you were not dieting. Most of them are based on self-deprivation. Depriving one's self of a craving usually doesn't last for more than a day. The next thing you know the person is breaking the diet, feeling the failure of that and then giving up altogether. The idea is to adopt a healthy eating and exercise plan to avoid this common dieter's pitfall.
Another drawback of fad diets is that many of them don't work at all. Some, such as those based on diuretic herbs simply cause a loss of water rather than fat. This water is simply regained back by the body and then retained with a vengeance after you are off the diet. This is known as rebound weight gain.
Diets fail because they offer no long-term solution. When people initially start dieting they're highly motivated. They immediately stop eating fast food, stop-consuming alcohol, stop eating sweets, and start exercising. But as time passes, they fail to exercise, as often, they don't watch calories as closely as they once did, and they lose the motivation they once had. As a result, they fall back into old habits, patterns, and eventually a lifestyle. You can prevent this phenomenon by introducing changes at a gradual pace. Don't attempt to change your entire lifestyle overnight. For example, cut back on sugar consumption and add exercise to your daily routine two or three times a week. A few weeks later add another day of exercise and limit junk food consumption to once or twice a week; continue until a balance is reached and you feel in control.
The reason that most diet gurus sell a lot of books is because they are selling hope, not realistic expectations. Many people place all their trust in the book, and not themselves. As a result, they don't accomplish their weight-loss goal because the secret isn't found in a diet book. Succeeding at weight-loss requires far more than just reading a book, it requires the accumulation of knowledge, patience, planning, good choices, and of course, realistic expectations.
It's essential to make good choices. Once you make a choice, it then makes you. Choices feed habits, habits define lifestyle, and lifestyle determines your future. Learning to make good choices is an important step in establishing long-term weight loss goals.
Publisher & author: Roy Barker. Roy has an indepth and long established background with the vitamins, minerals and health industry and has researched and experimented with many diets over a thirty year period. Roy is also the author of Safe and Easy Weightloss, a downloadable e-book based on the famous Mediterranean Diet and often used by those with heart conditions and those who seek a safe way to shed weight. It can be viewed at http://www.safe-and-easy-weightloss.com. Further articles, and related health and weightloss sites can be found at http://www.safe-and-easy-weightloss.com.
The information on this and any adjoining pages may be reprinted and used on other sites providing this information remains on the article and all pages and credits remain as they are found here in its current compilation with all links in tact.
recurring maid service Buffalo Grove ..There are certain eating habits that can make you gain... Read More
You've heard them before and may even have believed some... Read More
More and more people are starting to recognize that they... Read More
According to the BMI chart, if you are overweight, you... Read More
In many cases conventional dieting wisdom simply doesn't work for... Read More
"I'd love to lose weight, but I don't have the... Read More
In our never ending search for the illusive "Fountain of... Read More
Body temperature is the result of your body generating and... Read More
RISING POPULARITYGastric bypass surgery has become a popular surgical procedure... Read More
I did it without starving myself or taking pills. How... Read More
How would you like Julia Roberts to coach you on... Read More
Although the big push for fad diets has died down... Read More
Ah the ever present battle to lose those unwanted pounds.... Read More
1. CUT THE SIMPLE CARBS.It's unfortunate that the majority of... Read More
I personal lost 60 pounds in 2003. Here are some... Read More
We hear it all the time?lose weight for your health.... Read More
Don't get discouraged. I, too, have found myself in this... Read More
How to Estimate How Many Calories You Can Have and... Read More
Have you ever just felt like you were doing everything... Read More
When we hear all the success stories of the gastric... Read More
Adaptation is the most important concept I teach. The human... Read More
Have you ever wondered how actors stay in such great... Read More
Fat burning exercise is not merely one that will burn... Read More
Experts say obesity will overtake smoking as the biggest health... Read More
If you are traveling on the path towards wellness you... Read More
premium house cleaning Glenview ..Our bodies only require a small amount of salt for... Read More
If you've been scouring the news, devouring as much information... Read More
Considering the US Center for Disease Control's advice is a... Read More
Welcome to bodybuilding weightloss exercise tips!This is the engine room... Read More
Diet tips for losing weight abound. Some are good, some... Read More
To upgrade the current software in your brain you can... Read More
The right diet pill should be carefully considered when deciding... Read More
Mindfulness is all about paying attention. It's amazing what can... Read More
To continue the educational series on your health and fitness... Read More
Several months ago I was in desperate need of weight... Read More
There are tons of fad diets and weight loss schemes... Read More
You can overcome the desires of your sweet-tooth by incorporating... Read More
I had 14 weight/health-oriented newsletters in my inbox this morning.... Read More
Fat Loss in GeneralThis morning I conducted a search engine... Read More
All of our behavior results from the thoughts that preceded... Read More
There are many books and internet articles written about weight... Read More
Gastric bypass patients often find themselves regaining weight soon after... Read More
NLP Setting an Anchor Process to Get Back Motivation for... Read More
With weight loss comes a lot of dedication and change... Read More
Both men and women around the world are becoming fatter... Read More
Fat Loss Tip #2) Drink More WaterI know, I know,... Read More
More than any other time in history, people are all... Read More
If you were going to travel to the other side... Read More
Dieters dread the plateau. You're on a roll, losing weight... Read More
It's calorie-free, inexpensive and easily obtained - yet few people... Read More
Weight Loss |