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.
on demand house cleaning Buffalo Grove ...When most people think of low carb diets they automatically... Read More
It has been 15 years since I was diagnosed with... Read More
Once upon a time, I fretted about going to a... Read More
Many people want to lose a few of those annoying... Read More
Just one more day I can do this, I told... Read More
In general, fast weight loss is not healthy. The faster... Read More
Obesity and overweight, weight reduction and weight management therapies, miracle... Read More
Let's not talk about diets. Diets are punishment ? like... Read More
I don't know about you, but I absolutely love bread... Read More
So you're overweight, "fat"--to be honest--and you want to start... Read More
If you want to reduce your body fat, focus on... Read More
If you're taking a fiber supplement or eating a high... Read More
FINDING THE PERFECT DIETArriving at the Perfect Diet is no... Read More
Families who dine out with their loved ones who've had... Read More
A few months ago, I set out to lose 22.6... Read More
Because the Internet allows so many millions of people to... Read More
In life, various factors contribute to weight gain. Be it... Read More
For many years, the experts, including our government have been... Read More
To upgrade the current software in your brain you can... Read More
The vast majority of postpartum women will not return to... Read More
If you are into herbs and natural cures, you've undoubtedly... Read More
Are you one of the many people who feel frustrated... Read More
With weight loss comes a lot of dedication and change... Read More
Did you know that how and when you eat is... Read More
Weight loss is a hot topic among people today, especially... Read More
premium house cleaning Morton Grove ..."Unless that apple tastes like the best apple you've ever... Read More
The revolution is here. Weight Loss as we know it... Read More
"Help, none of this mainstream stuff works!"There is a specific... Read More
When it comes to our weight and the appearance of... Read More
When you begin the decision making process to have Weight... Read More
If you want to find a way to lose weight... Read More
Diet advice ? a million "experts", hundreds of snake-oil miracle... Read More
AND SAVE MONEY IN THE PROCESS. The secret is simple... Read More
Reducing childhood obesity in the U.S. needs to be a... Read More
We, as a society, are always trying to lose weight.... Read More
First of all we need to find out a reason... Read More
All weight loss diets make you FatThat's right, because on... Read More
What the Diet Industry Does Not Want You To Know:... Read More
Drink plenty of water. Our body needs a lot of... Read More
One-size-fits-all diets don't work....but then you probably know that already.... Read More
If you are fighting the battle of the bulge (overweight... Read More
Essential Fats for Weight LossOver the past few decades, the... Read More
Every Journey Worth Taking Begins with a Single StepHere are... Read More
The purpose of this article is not to scrutinize, vilify,... Read More
Summer is about to be in full swing, and it's... Read More
Do you compete in sports for weight loss or fat... Read More
Do you know someone that is obsessed with the scale?... Read More
Gastric Bypass surgery is becoming increasingly more popular for the... Read More
When was the last time you focused so much on... Read More
There are many subscriber programs available both online and in... Read More
Weight Loss |