Losing weight safely, healthily and permanently is not as complicated as it
may seem. Once you know what works and what doesn’t and then apply this
knowledge properly, you can, finally, lose that ugly fat.

This article highlights 15 of the most common myths associated with weight
loss. Understanding them, will help clear up the confusion and help you to
decide how best to lose that weight forever.

#1 Fad diets work best for permanent weight loss.

Fad diets (South Beach Diet, Atkins Diet, Glycemic Load Diet etc.) are not
the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Fad diets often promise quick
weight loss or tell you to cut certain foods out of your diet. You may lose
weight at first on one of these diets. But diets that strictly limit
calories or food choices are hard to follow. Most people quickly get tired
of them and regain
any lost weight.

Fad diets may be unhealthy because they may not provide all of the nutrients
your body needs. Also, losing weight at a very rapid rate (more than 3
pounds a week after the first couple weeks) may increase your risk for
developing gallstones (clusters of solid material in the gallbladder that
can be painful). Diets that provide less than 800 calories per day also
could result in heart rhythm abnormalities, which can be fatal.

Research suggests that losing ½ to 2 pounds a week by making healthy food
choices, eating moderate portions, and building physical activity into your
daily life is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. By adopting
healthy eating and physical activity habits, you may also lower your risk
for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

#2 Certain types of people cannot lose weight.

We are all born with a genetically pre-determined number of fat cells. Some
people naturally have more fat cells than others and women have more than
men. The number of fat cells increase the older we get.

It was once believed that the number of fat cells could not increase after
adulthood, only the size of the fat cells could increase. We now know that
fat cells can indeed increase both in size and in number and that they are
more likely to increase in number at certain times and under certain
circumstances.

Existing fat cells increase in size when energy intake exceeds energy
expenditure and the excess is stored in the fat cell. An overweight person’s
fat cells can be up to three times larger than a person with ideal body
composition.

Fat cells tend to increase in number most readily when excessive weight is
gained due to overeating and or inactivity during the following periods:
1. During late childhood and early puberty 2. During pregnancy 3. During
adulthood when extreme amounts of weight are gained

Normally during adulthood, the number of fat cells stay about the same,
except in the case of obesity. When the existing fat cells are filled to
capacity, new fat cells can continue to be formed in order to provide
additional storage – even in adults.

A typical overweight adult has around 75 billion fat cells. But in the case
of severe obesity, this number can be as high as 250 to 300 billion!

Because of these facts, many people believe, “Well, I have more fat cells
than other people, so what’s the use, I’ll never lose weight”. Some
people argue that obesity is genetic and/or that once you’re obese and your
fat cells have multiplied, it’s an uphill battle you can’t ever win.

It’s easy to search for excuses to explain your failure. It’s easy to
justify current circumstances and low future expectations by seeking out
seemingly logical and scientific facts and explanations.

Here’s the reality.

People who say it can’t be done are just pessimists or they are simply trying
to sell another pill, potion or miracle solution.

As much as some people desperately want to believe in a magic pill or
surgical procedure, getting a lean body always boils back down to nutrition
and exercise. You can’t change the number of fat cells you have (without
surgery), but you can shrink every one of them by changing your lifestyle.

The number of fat cells you possess will certainly influence how difficult
it will be for you to lose body fat. It’s one of the reasons why some people
have a more difficult time losing weight than others and why some people
seem to gain weight more easily than others if they’re not very careful and
diligent with their nutrition and exercise programs.

However, it does not mean that it’s impossible to get lean.

#3 High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are a healthy way to lose weight.

The long-term health effects of a high-protein/low- carbohydrate diet are
not yet known. Additionally, getting most of your daily calories from high-
protein foods like meat, eggs, and cheese is not a balanced eating plan. You
may be eating too much fat and cholesterol, which can cause heart disease.
You may be eating too few fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which may
lead to constipation due to lack of dietary fiber and cause a lack of
essential vitamins and minerals. Following a high-protein/low- carbohydrate
diet may also make you feel nauseous, tired, and weak.

Eating fewer than 130 grams (520 calories) of carbohydrate a day can cause
your body to produce high levels of uric acid, which is a risk factor for
gout (a painful swelling of the joints) and kidney stones. High-protein/low-
carbohydrate diets are often low in calories because food choices are
strictly limited, so they may cause short-term weight loss. But a reduced-
calorie eating plan that includes recommended amounts of carbohydrate,
protein, and fat will also allow you to lose weight. By following a balanced
eating plan, you will not have to stop eating whole classes of foods, such as
whole grains, fruits, and vegetables and miss the key nutrients they
contain. You may also find it easier to stick with a diet or eating plan
that includes a greater variety of foods.

#4 A Low Fat Diet is Best

Certain amount of fats are essential, as some fatty acids cannot be made by
the body and must come from the diet. ( Fatty acids are simply one of the
main constituent parts of fat along with cholesterol) Some essential
vitamins (A D E K ) are only soluble in fat and the fatty acids act as a
carrier for them.

Certain fatty acids are also essential in the formation of cell membranes,
particularly in nerve tissue. It has been shown that patients on a fat free
diet develop scaly skin, infertility and run a greater risk of infection.

A further source of confusion is the different types of fat. In particular,
we have heard of saturated fat, unsaturated fat, mono-unsaturated fat and
poly-unsaturated fat. Without getting into the chemical differences between
each of these fats, suffice it to say that there are good fats and bad fats.

Saturated fats are the bad fats. Generally speaking, they are the ones
which are solid at room temperature and tend to be derived from animal
sources. i.e. butter comes from milk. Too much saturated fat is believed to
cause heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and cancers.

Unsaturated fats (both mono and poly ) are the good fats and tend to be
liquid at room temperature and are derived from vegetable sources. So when
we are looking at fats, keep an eye on the types of fat in the foods we are
eating and stay away from those which are high in saturated fat.

Now that we know what fat is, how much should we be eating? It is generally
accepted that about 30% of our calories should come from fat and no more
than 11% of this should be from saturated fat So, if we take a typical male
who is on 2500 calories, his fat target is no more than 750 calories (or
84g) from fat. Remember these are the maximum amounts allowed. It is much
better to err on the low side of this figure but DO NOT go below 20% of
calories from fat. (500 calories for our male example). Remember, we need
fat in our diet.

#5 Weight gain is genetic. You inherit it from your parents

Certainly, there may be what we call tendencies, but there is no such thing
as a fat gene that is passed down from generation to generation. What is
inherited are attitudes towards food and living in general. If parents are
overweight, it is likely that their food choices are unhealthy and it is
likely that their lifestyle is unhealthy. So, from a very early age, their
children are being subjected to that same unhealthy lifestyle. They have
little chance of remaining at a”normal” weight. They have learned to be
unhealthy by following what their parents have done and will carry this
learned behaviour with them throughout their lives.

Being overweight is not genetic but is another convenient excuse not to try
to lose weight. Each of us has within us the power to achieve our weight
loss.

#6 The “set point” theory determines what we all should weigh.

The set-point theory holds that we all have an internal weight regulator,
like a thermostat, that adjusts our metabolic rate up or down whenever we
gain or shed pounds in order to return our body to its predetermined weight.
Undoubtedly, some controls do exist or we would all be obese,
or,alternately, wasting away. Studies show that when we lose weight, our
metabolism actually shifts to a normal rate for that new weight, independent
of individual differences. It is important ,however, that the weight loss is
gradual, 1/2 to 2lbs per week is ideal. The body does not like rapid change
as it tends to have emergency responses to something that it doesn’t like.
For instance, by losing weight rapidly, through diet, our bodies will go
into “starvation mode” where it will slow our metabolism to preserve our fat
reserves and thus make it very difficult to lose weight. It will also tend
to make weight gain much more likely when the diet ends because our
metabolism has been slowed down so much.

People nevertheless embrace the theory to blame their bodies, rather than
their own behaviour, for their weight-loss failure. It offers comfort to
those who refuse to accept the fact that weight control requires a
commitment to a physically active and calorie-conscious lifestyle.

#7 Carbohydrates make you fat.

Carbohydrates do not make you fat. Calories make you fat. Often it’s the
sugar and fat contained in carbohydrates that make you fat. Also a lot of
carbohydrates are processed, so you don’t get the advantage of feeling full
from fiber found in unprocessed carbs. For example, whole grain pasta is
more filling and makes you feel satisfied longer than white pasta, the same
with white bread and brown bread though, both have the same amount of
calories. What will change the number of calories is the amount of sauce and
butter you put on your pasta. What you want to do is eat carbs in
moderation.

#8 Counting calories is not important.

You definitely need to count calories in one way or other in order to lose
weight. Most people tend to overestimate their physical activity and
underestimate their calories. Don’t guess or try to estimate your caloric
intake. You cannot be accurate enough. There are many good computer
programs out there that do most of the work for you. If weight gain is
caused by your caloric intake (food) being greater than your caloric output
(living and exercise), how can you possibly know where you are and what
needs to be done?

#9 The best way to lose weight is to miss meals.

Studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the
day tend to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat five
or six times a day. This may be because people who skip meals tend to feel
hungrier later on and eat more than they normally would. Also, it is now
generally accepted that people who eat smaller meals, 5 or 6 times a day,
tend to be less likely to be overweight. The process of eating in itself
tends to raise your metabolic rate and by eating more often, tends to keep
your metabolism more active for longer. Remember, to keep within your
caloric allowance.

#10 The best way to lose weight is by starving yourself.

Losing weight by not eating is an absolute no, no. There are 3 main reasons
for this. Very low calorie dieting or any “quick weight loss” will
significantly decrease our metabolism. Eating increases metabolism due to
the energy required for digestion and absorption of the food. The calories
required to digest, absorb, transport and metabolise the food we eat, can
cause a 10% increase in our caloric expenditure each day. Every time we eat,
our body’s metabolism gets a temporary boost. So one way to help increase
metabolic rate is to eat smaller, more frequent meals and snacks. Skipping
meals causes a decrease in our metabolic rate until we again eat something.

Significantly reducing calories lowers our metabolic rate. Our body treats
any sudden reduction in food intake as an impending starvation situation and
prepares itself by slowing our metabolism to conserve calories. The more
drastically we cut our calories, the more our metabolic rate drops.

Losing weight through dieting alone without exercise, depletes our muscle
tissue stores. Muscle requires many more calories each day to maintain itself.
The faster we lose weight through dieting alone, the more muscle tissue we
lose and the lower our metabolic rate becomes. Exercise prevents muscle
tissue loss and adds muscle bulk and therefore raises our metabolic rate.

#11 We shouldn’t eat late at night as all that food will turn to fat.

The fact is, eating at night does not necessarily make you fat. There are
too many other variables involved to make such a big assumption. The primary
factor in whether you gain or lose fat is not when you eat but rather how
much. Providing we have not consumed too many calories for that day it
doesn’t really matter when we eat.

However, that doesn’t mean meal timing doesn’t matter, it simply means that
it’s entirely possible to eat one of your meals late at night right before
bed and still lose body fat, as long as you’re in a caloric deficit.

It would be more accurate to say that eating large meals late at night
before bed, especially calorie dense high carbohydrate meals, increases the
probability that you will store some of those calories as fat.

It is probably more beneficial if you plan to eat your calories earlier in
the day and slightly fewer calories at night. Experience has shown that this
will accelerate fat loss or make it easier to lose fat and that’s not the
same as saying “eating at night makes you fat.”

#12 Weight loss pills are the best way to lose weight if you have failed in
the past.

Would you believe me if I said there was a pill which could make you
smarter, richer or more attractive. No you wouldn’t. You’d probably would
laugh at the thought. It is no more ridiculous to believe that a pill could
make you lose weight. Many of the so called weight loss pills on the market
have not been properly tested and we are not yet sure of the long term
effects of taking them. You will read many reviews praising this pill or
that pill. Ask yourself this. “Is the writer of that review trying to then
sell me something?” There have been no pills yet which have been proven to
help weight loss safely and healthily.

#13 You can lose weight from a specific part of your body.

It is, absolutely, physically impossible to lose weight just from a specific
part of your body. You cannot control where fat is removed from your body.
Any machine or specific exercise which claims to specifically lose belly fat
or thigh fat is lying. Certainly, a specific exercise will improve muscle
tone in that group of muscles being trained, giving the illusion that fat is
being lost.

Fat will only disappear from your body in a predetermined order.
Unfortunately for men that tends to be the belly area and the thighs and hips
for women. Tom Venuto, author of the internet’s best selling book on fat
loss gives us a very good analogy. “You cannot empty the shallow end of the
swimming pool before you empty the deep end first.”

#14 You don’t need to exercise to lose weight.

You certainly don’t need to exercise to lose weight but it is very, very
difficult if you don’t. Most diets fail because they are too difficult to
maintain. Severely cutting down on calories means we have to deprive
ourselves of too many things we enjoy. This leads to cravings which leads
to cheating which leads to failure. It is also unhealthy.

We can also burn off calories by exercising. By incorporating exercise into
our daily regime, we immediately make weight loss more attainable. Simply
by walking 30 minutes every day at a pace which raises our heart rate enough
can help our weight loss tremendously. However, the more we exercise the
more calories we burn. Additionally, exercise gives us many other health
benefits, like a healthier heart, lower blood pressure, a greater feeling of
well-being etc. The benefits are too many to mention.

#15 Don’t weigh yourself

It’s another misconception that you shouldn’t step on a scale while
attempting to lose weight. It is a good motivational tool to check your
weight on a regular basis, say once a week.It is an obvious way to gauge
your progress and alter your diet accordingly. However, only using scales is
a bad idea. Use your eyes to see body changes. Use a tape measure to keep
track of tummy and thigh inches.

However, what you must keep in mind is that what you are, ultimately, trying
to do is lose fat and not just weight. Measuring fat loss is more difficult
to do but it is a far better indicator of your progress. Body fat analysis
is best done by a professional and can be done at most local gyms or health
clubs. There are also a wide range of devices freely available which can
give you a fairly accurate measurement.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Iain_Anthony

For most people reading this article, finding an effective diet that works most of the time must seem as complicated as nuclear physics. It’s not, but there are a bewildering number of choices for diets out there. High fat or no fat? High carbohydrate or no carbohydrate? Low protein or high protein? To make matters worse, there are a million variations and combinations to the above diet scenarios to add to the confusion. It seems endless and causes many people to throw up their hands in frustration and give up. In this article I will attempt to change all that.

There are some general guidelines, rules of thumb, and ways of viewing a diet program that will allow you to decide, once and for all, if it’s the right diet for you. You may not always like what I have to say, and you should be under no illusions this is another quick fix, “lose 100 lbs. in 20 days,” guide of some sort. However, if you are sick and tired of being confused, tired of taking the weight off only to put it back on, and tired of wondering how to take the first steps to deciding the right diet for you that will result in permanent weight loss, then this is the article that could change your life…

Does your diet pass “The Test”?
What is the number one reason diets fail long term; above all else? The number one reason is…drum roll…a lack of long term compliance. The numbers don’t lie; the vast majority of people who lose weight will regain it – and often exceed what they lost. You knew that already didn’t you?

Yet, what are you doing to avoid it? Here’s another reality check: virtually any diet you pick which follows the basic concept of “burning” more calories then you consume – the well accepted “calories in calories out” mantra – will cause you to lose weight. To some degree, they all work: Atkins-style, no carb diets, low fat high carb diets, all manner of fad diets – it simply does not matter in the short term.

If your goal is to lose some weight quickly, then pick one and follow it. I guarantee you will lose some weight. Studies generally find any of the commercial weight loss diets will get approximately the same amount of weight off after 6 months to a year. For example, a recent study found the Atkins’ Diet, Slim-Fast plan, Weight Watchers Pure Points program, and Rosemary Conley’s Eat Yourself Slim diet, were all equally effective. (1)

Other studies comparing other popular diets have come to essentially the same conclusions. For example, a study that compared the Atkins diet, the Ornish diet, Weight Watchers, and The Zone Diet, found them to be essentially the same in their ability to take weight off after one year. (2)

Recall what I said about the number one reason diets fail, which is a lack of compliance. The lead researcher of this recent study stated:

“Our trial found that adherence level rather than diet type was the primary predictor of weight loss”(3)

Translated, it’s not which diet they chose per se, but their ability to actually stick to a diet that predicted their weight loss success. I can just see the hands going up now, “but Will, some diets must be better than others, right?” Are some diets better then others? Absolutely. Some diets are healthier then others, some diets are better at preserving lean body mass, some diets are better at suppressing appetite – there are many differences between diets. However, while most of the popular diets will work for taking weight off, what is abundantly clear is that adhering to the diet is the most important aspect for keeping the weight off long term.

What is a diet?
A diet is a short term strategy to lose weight. Long term weight loss is the result of an alteration in lifestyle. We are concerned with life long weight management, not quick fix weight loss here. I don’t like the term diet, as it represents a short term attempt to lose weight vs. a change in lifestyle. Want to lose a bunch of weight quickly? Heck, I will give you the information on how to do that here and now for no charge.

For the next 90 to 120 days eat 12 scrambled egg whites, one whole grapefruit, and a gallon of water twice a a day. You will lose plenty of weight. Will it be healthy? Nope. Will the weight stay off once you are done with this diet and are then forced to go back to your “normal” way of eating? Not a chance. Will the weight you lose come from fat or will it be muscle, water, bone, and (hopefully!) some fat? The point being, there are many diets out there that are perfectly capable of getting weight off you, but when considering any eating plan designed to lose weight, you must ask yourself:

“Is this a way of eating I can follow long term?”
Which brings me to my test: I call it the “Can I eat that way for the rest of my life?” Test. I know, it does not exactly roll off your tongue, but it gets the point across.

The lesson here is: any nutritional plan you pick to lose weight must be part of a lifestyle change you will be able to follow – in one form or another – forever. That is, if it’s not a way of eating you can comply with indefinitely, even after you get to your target weight, then it’s worthless.

Thus, many fad diets you see out there are immediately eliminated, and you don’t have to worry about them. The question is not whether the diet is effective in the short term, but if the diet can be followed indefinitely as a lifelong way of eating. Going from “their” way of eating back to “your” way of eating after you reach your target weight is a recipe for disaster and the cause of the well established yo-yo dieting syndrome. Bottom line: there are no short cuts, there is no free lunch, and only a commitment to a lifestyle change is going to keep the fat off long term. I realize that’s not what most people want to hear, but it’s the truth, like it or not.

The statistics don’t lie: getting the weight off is not the hardest part, keeping the weight off is! If you take a close look at the many well known fad/commercial diets out there, and you are honest with yourself, and apply my test above, you will find most of them no longer appeal to you as they once did. It also brings me to an example that adds additional clarity: If you have diet A that will cause the most weight loss in the shortest amount of time but is unbalanced and essentially impossible to follow long term vs. diet B, which will take the weight off at a slower pace, but is easier to follow, balanced, healthy, and something you can comply with year after year, which is superior? If diet A gets 30 lbs off you in 30 days, but by next year you have gained back all 30 lbs, but diet B gets 20 lbs off you in the next 3 months with another 20 lbs 3 months after that and the weight stays off by the end of that year, which is the better diet?

If you don’t know the answer to those questions, you have totally missed the point of this article and the lesson it’s trying to teach you, and are set up for failure. Go back and read this section again…By default, diet B is superior.

Teach a man to Fish…
A well known Chinese Proverb is – Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

This expression fits perfectly with the next essential step in how to decide what eating plan you should follow to lose weight permanently. Will the diet plan you are considering teach you how to eat long term, or does it spoon-feed you information? Will the diet rely on special bars, shakes, supplements or pre-made foods they supply?

Let’s do another diet A vs. diet B comparison. Diet A is going to supply you with their foods, as well as their special drink or bars to eat, and tell you exactly when to eat them. You will lose – say – 30 lbs in two months. Diet B is going to attempt to help you learn which foods you should eat, how many calories you need to eat, why you need to eat them, and generally attempt to help teach you how to eat as part of a total lifestyle change that will allow you to make informed decisions about your nutrition. Diet B causes a slow steady weight loss of 8 -10 lbs per month for the next 6 months and the weight stays off because you now know how to eat properly.

Recall the Chinese proverb. Both diets will assist you to lose weight. Only one diet, however, will teach you how to be self-reliant after your experience is over. Diet A is easier, to be sure, and causes faster weight loss than diet B, and diet B takes longer and requires some thinking and learning on your part. However, when diet A is over, you are right back where you started and have been given no skills to fish. Diet companies don’t make their profits by teaching you to fish, they make their money by handing you a fish so you must rely on them indefinitely or come back to them after you gain all the weight back.

Thus, diet B is superior for allowing you to succeed where other diets failed, with knowledge gained that you can apply long term. Diet programs that attempt to spoon feed you a diet without any attempt to teach you how to eat without their help and/or rely on their shakes, bars, cookies, or pre-made foods, is another diet you can eliminate from your list of choices.

Diet plans that offer weight loss by drinking their product for several meals followed by a “sensible dinner;” diets that allow you to eat their special cookies for most meals along with their pre-planned menu; or diets that attempt to have you eating their bars, drink, or pre-made meals, are of the diet A variety covered above. They’re easy to follow but destined for failure, long term. They all fail the “Can I eat that way for the rest of my life?” test, unless you really think you can eat cookies and shakes for the rest of your life…Bottom line here is, if the nutritional approach you use to lose weight, be it from a book, a class, a clinic, or an e-book, does not teach you how to eat, it’s a loser for long term weight loss and it should be avoided.

The missing link for long term weight loss
We now make our way to another test to help you choose a nutrition program for long term weight loss, and it does not actually involve nutrition. The missing link for long term weight loss is exercise. Exercise is the essential component of long term weight loss. Many diet programs do not contain an exercise component, which means they are losers for long term weight loss from the very start. Any program that has its focus on weight loss but does not include a comprehensive exercise plan is like buying a car without tires, or a plane without wings. People who have successfully kept the weight off overwhelmingly have incorporated exercise into their lives, and the studies that look at people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off invariably find these people were consistent with their diet and exercise plans. (4)

I am not going to list all the benefits of regular exercise here, but regular exercise has positive effects on your metabolism, allows you to eat more calories yet still be in a calorie deficit, and can help preserve lean body mass (LBM) which is essential to your health and metabolism. The many health benefits of regular exercise are well known, so I won’t bother adding them here. The bottom line here is, (a) if you have any intentions of getting the most from your goal of losing weight and (b) plan to keep it off long term, regular exercise must be an integral part of the weight loss strategy. So, you can eliminate any program, be it book, e-book, clinic, etc. that does not offer you direction and help with this essential part of long term weight loss.

Side Bar: A quick note on exercise:
Any exercise is better than no exercise. However, like diet plans, not all exercise is created equal, and many people often choose the wrong form of exercise to maximize their efforts to lose weight. For example, they will do aerobics exclusively and ignore resistance training. Resistance training is an essential component of fat loss, as it builds muscle essential to your metabolism, increases 24 hour energy expenditure, and has health benefits beyond aerobics.

The reader will also note I said fat loss above not weight loss. Though I use the term ‘weight loss’ throughout this article, I do so only because it is a familiar term most people understand. However, the true focus and goal of a properly set up nutrition and exercise plan should be on fat loss, not weight loss. A focus on losing weight, which may include a loss essential muscle, water, and even bone, as well as fat, is the wrong approach. Losing the fat and keeping the all important lean body mass (LBM), is the goal, and the method for achieving that can be found in my ebook(s) on the topic, and is beyond the scope of this article. Bottom line: the type of exercise, intensity of that exercise, length of time doing that exercise, etc., are essential variables here when attempting to lose FAT while retaining (LBM).

Psychology 101 of long term weight loss
Many diet programs out there don’t address the psychological aspect of why people fail to be successful with long term weight loss. However, quite a few studies exist that have looked at just that. In many respects, the psychological aspect is the most important for long term weight loss, and probably the most underappreciated component.

Studies that compare the psychological characteristics of people who have successfully kept the weight off to people who have regained the weight, see clear differences between these two groups. For example, one study that looked at 28 obese women who had lost weight but regained the weight that they had lost, compared to 28 formerly obese women who had lost weight and maintained their weight for at least one year and 20 women with a stable weight in the healthy range, found the women who regained the weight:

o Had a tendency to evaluate self-worth in terms of weight and shape
o Had a lack of vigilance with regard to weight control
o had a dichotomous (black-and-white) thinking style
o Had the tendency to use eating to regulate mood.

The researchers concluded:

“The results suggest that psychological factors may provide some explanation as to why many people with obesity regain weight following successful weight loss.”

This particular study was done on women, so it reflects some of the specific psychological issues women have – but make no mistake here – men also have their own psychological issues that can sabotage their long term weight loss efforts. (6)

Additional studies on men and women find psychological characteristics such as “having unrealistic weight goals, poor coping or problem-solving skills and low self-efficacy” often predict failure with long term weight loss. (7) On the other hand, psychological traits common to people who experienced successful long term weight loss include “…an internal motivation to lose weight, social support, better coping strategies and ability to handle life stress, self-efficacy, autonomy, assuming responsibility in life, and overall more psychological strength and stability.” (8)

The main point of this section is to illustrate that psychology plays a major role in determining if people are successful with long term weight loss. If it’s not addressed as part of the overall plan, it can be the factor that makes or breaks your success. This, however, is not an area most nutrition programs can adequately tackle and should not be expected to. However, the better programs do generally attempt to help with motivation, goal setting, and support. If you see yourself in the above lists from the groups that failed to maintain their weight long term, then know you will need to address those issues via counseling, support groups, etc. Don’t expect any weight loss program to cover this topic adequately but do look for programs that attempt to offer support, goal setting, and resources that will keep you on track.

“There’s a sucker born every minute”
So why don’t you see this type of honest information about the realities of long term weight loss more often? Let’s be honest here, telling the truth is not the best way to sell bars, shakes, books, supplements, and programs. Hell, if by some miracle everyone who read this article actually followed it, and sent it on to millions of other people who actually followed it, makers of said products could be in financial trouble quickly. However, they also know – as the man said – “there’s a sucker born every minute,” so I doubt they will be kept up at night worrying about the effects that I, or this article, will have on their business.

So let’s recap what has been learned here: the big picture realities of permanent weight loss and how you can look at a weight loss program and decide for yourself if it’s for you based on what has been covered above:

o Permanent weight loss is not about finding a quick fix diet, but making a commitment to life style changes that include nutrition and exercise

o Any weight loss program you choose must pass the “Can I eat that way for the rest of my life?” test,

o The weight loss program you choose should ultimately teach you how to eat and be self reliant so you can make informed long term choices about your nutrition.

o The weight loss program you choose should not leave you reliant on commercial bars, shakes, supplements, or pre-made foods, for your long term success.

o The weight loss program you choose must have an effective exercise component.

o The weight loss program you choose should attempt to help with motivation, goal setting, and support, but can’t be a replacement for psychological counseling if needed.

Conclusion
I want to take this final section to add some additional points and clarity. For starters, the above advice is not for everyone. It’s not intended for those who really have their nutrition dialed in, such as competitive bodybuilders and other athletes who benefit from fairly dramatic changes in their nutrition, such as ‘off season’ and ‘pre-contest’ and so on.

The article is also not intended for those with medical issues who may be on a specific diet to treat or manage a specific medical condition. The article is intended for the average person who wants to get off the Yo-Yo diet merry-go-round once and for all. As that’s probably 99% of the population, it will cover millions of people.

People should also not be scared off by my “you have to eat this way forever” advice. This does not mean you will be dieting for the rest of your life and have nothing but starvation to look forward to. What it does mean, however, is you will have to learn to eat properly even after you reach your target weight and that way of eating should not be a huge departure from how you ate to lose the weight in the first place. Once you get to your target weight – and or your target bodyfat levels – you will go onto a maintenance phase which generally has more calories and choices of food, even the occasional treat, like a slice of pizza or whatever.

Maintenance diets are a logical extension of the diet you used to lose the weight, but they are not based on the diet you followed that put the weight on in the first place!

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Some people say that dieting is easy. What a croc! If it was easy to lose weight (for the majority of people), there would not be such things as gastric bands, weight watchers and a million different diets! Do you agree?

Saying that, I do find exercising and working out regularly in the gym an easy thing to do, but I know some people hate it. I read an post on a website a few days back, saying that dieting and weight loss was such an easy thing to do. ‘Weight loss is simple!’ – I couldn’t believe what I was reading. This website was all about fitness and weight loss, who did have some great advice on keeping fit, but the section on dieting left a lot to be desired.

Weight loss is a science, but is also psychological. The science of dieting says that you must burn more calories than you consume on a daily basis. The psychological factor, on the other hand is a little bit different. If you don’t train your brain to hate the things that make you fat, you’re not going to stop eating them. And that’s a fact. Does that ring any bells for you?

Ok, so how do you overcome both of these factors. Well first off, I’m no dietitian or professional trainer, but what I can tell you what I know works for me.

Firstly, you need to know your BMR. That stands for your Basal Metabolic Rate. You can find out how this works here on my hub titled What are the components of a healthy balanced diet.

Once you’ve calculated your BMR, you’ll get an idea of how much food and how many calories you can eat each day, so that you don’t gain weight.

The second, and harder, part of losing weight is in your mind.

I suggest you try this.

Write down your reasons for losing weight, five, ten or even twenty reasons. Then write down what it would mean to you, if you did lose some weight. Would you be fitter to run around and play with your kids, would you feel better about yourself and give you more confidence with the opposite sex? Write down as many as you can.

Next write down what it would mean if you didn’t lose the weight. Basically, the opposite of what you just wrote about what it means to you to get fit and healthy.

Once you’ve got all this written down, read it every day. Once in the morning and once in the night, right before you go to bed. After a couple of days, I would practically guarantee that you don’t like curries or chocolate or soda drinks any more! Happy weight loss to you my friend.

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The only main components needed for this scale are a tool that measures height, and a scale. It is safe to say a body weight scale is an extremely simple device. Mainly because of the fact these scales just measure weight and height they are very un-intrusive instruments. Things like a skin fold type of test actually require the practitioner having to pinch the person’s body up to a maximum of thirteen different spots. When compared to a BMI scales this type of measuring can be incredibly embarrassing for some people. There are actually other measurement methods involving a person submerged in water for a period of time until a practitioner is able to read the measurement. One of the main reasons these BMI scales are so convenient is because of the fact that basically anybody can measure BMI. The only information required is the weight and the height of a person. The actual equation used is taking the person’s height in inches and dividing it by the person’s weight in pounds, and then squared and multiplied by 703.

This equation proves that the scale really makes no difference in fluctuation in race, age, or gender. Another reason these BMI scales are so popular with so many different organization is simply because they are quick and easy. Using a BMI scale has proven to be the most efficient, and effective way for someone to get an extremely accurate measurement allowing for the tracking in the changes of people’s body composition of long periods of time. What is known as the CDC has actually been keeping tabs on the obesity levels in America for some time now. They use a body weight scale to effectively chart this information. This is the only logical way to conduct such activities because of the fact that any other method would just take too long. BMI calculating only takes about one or two minutes and thus is the reason why it is the absolute preferred method that is used by the CDC. It also happens to be the most preferred method put in place by many other organizations as well in an effort to track the composition of people’s body.

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Monitoring food intake is, by far, the most basic step to make to pave the way to a healthier body. Consciousness about the types of food taken in is necessary in order to identify those that are known to add unwanted pounds. If the objective is to shed off extra layers of fat, it would be best to start by eliminating fat- forming foods from the diet. This does not necessarily mean being obsessed about caloric count. By simply staying away from fast foods such as burgers and fries, you can be assured of steering clear from ugly additions of cellulites. If you believe, however, that professional guidance is needed, then it would be best to consult a nutritionist to help monitor daily caloric intake.

Consistent exercise is another approach to fast fat breakdown. Going to the gym for a vigorous workout or even just walking to and from work are actually good enough to achieve a well-built body. It has to be remembered that results do not show as fast as you think. In fact, it would take at least four to six months to finally see a remarkable change in your physique. It would be wise to couple exercise with diet in order to arrive at a speedier outcome. Eradicating unwanted calories from meals plus constant unloading of existing calories through exercise is the perfect combination to accomplish a shapely physique in as fast as four weeks. Always remember though to keep your exercise routine in moderation.

Good relaxation techniques are essential in keeping the body in balance, both physically and mentally. In the midst of weight reduction, learning how to take time to rest is vital. There are a number of activities to choose from, and you can supplement your exercise routine with yoga or sauna treatments. These experiences further detoxify the system, thereby helping to get rid of free radicals commonly present in fat.

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Nearly every project can be undertaken successfully, if you just divide it up into simple steps.

Here is how you might walk to lose weight in only five easy steps

Step 1. Just get up and leave the house. Why this will be relevant is that psychologically you have already started your new fitness regime, even if you only go for a short stroll. Be sure you do not overlook or by-pass this step, because most people will think of doing exercise but will only get as far as the thinking stage. Just get up go outside..

Step 2. Start with a gentle pace. This crucial step needs your complete attention. This is how to do it the best way, for the best results. You are not in a race so just increase your pace a little at a time and breath in through your nose, out through the mouth. The reason this will be significant is it will increase your heart rate and of course in time will promote weight loss.

Step 3. As time goes by, increase your pace more and open your gate. You do this so you can build up your stamina and again promote quicker weight loss. Additionally you will want to measure a distance so you can start to time yourself.

Step 4. Invite a friend or family member. This means, that you have a little bit of company and a little bit of healthy competition when you get more into walking to lose weight.

Step 5. Walk everyday! Take the time and try to walk for at least half an hour each day. Moreover, make the effort to increase your times gradually but consistently. You don’t want to be walking like a marine from the outset but your aim is to eventually walk at a brisk pace.

At the finish, assuming you have followed these steps closely, you will probably succeed and enjoy that success and the fruits it brings! Pat yourself on the shoulder, even be a bit pleased with yourself. It is your triumph to relish, and your chance to set the standard for other people to attempt to follow! You now may revel in your accomplishment and revel in it!

If you did not stick to the above steps, ah well… maybe you did not genuinely wish to have great results anyway.

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Pros: Arguments In Favor Of Losing Weight

1. You will look and feel healthier as you eat and drink healthier foods.

As you eat less you will also find your food bills will reduce as a result.

2. Along with the physical change you will notice a mental change too and your confidence will increase along with your weight loss.

One other good cause for weight loss is your health and taking care of yourself. This offers the additional advantage of making you more aware of your body and it’s needs, and what foods it requires to make it run properly, that’ll protect against making the error of eating junk foods and overeating in general.

3. You can do more activities too, social and physical, and possibly some you thought you might never do again.

After that there is always the treat of getting a new wardrobe to fit the new you. It is very important because doing so might encourage you too carry on the way you have been doing, and also you can see the results as the person you always wanted to be or really are. Should you take that into mind, then it’s wise to lose weight.

The points above show the positive aspects of losing weight. There is a bad side also. Let me focus on a number of the drawbacks.

Drawbacks: Factors Against Losing Weight

1. You could lose the weight and then put it all back on, and more.

Should you lose weight and put it back on, it will have the impact of sapping your confidence and possibly making you depressed. There is no way that that could be a good thing. It could be enough reason for avoiding doing it at all.

2. You could find yourself trying fad diets.

This could lead to your health suffering.

3. You feel you have to do lots of hard exercise and you just don’t know if you have the time or energy.

The last legitimate reason in avoiding losing weight is your health. I urge people to think about this point seriously, given it may lead directly to health problems if you choose to lose weight anyway.

So there you have it, the positives and negatives of losing weight. It may not be ideal for everyone, but it is good for many. Hence think very carefully about the variables mentioned previously The information presented should certainly assist you to be prepared to make the best decision.

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The choice and taste of the society is indeed dynamic. During the past generations, medium belt women are the choice of the people. However at this present moment most of the people prefer the skinny ones. It is indeed painful especially if have already lost your hope and not your weight.

Even though there are number of tips or advice on how to lose weight effectively, several people remain the same. Sometimes due to frustration and desperateness some people engage in surgery in order to remove their excess weight. Other people are also fond of taking slimming pills and other slimming products hoping that their weight tomorrow will be lighter than today.

However the strongest foundation that a person must possess in order to lose weight is self discipline. Nothing will ever change if a person having problems with his or her weight only depends on his or her hope to lose weight. It should be stronger than your hope. In the end, you are the only person who could help yourself. You are also the only one who will suffer from your own consequences and who will enjoy from your own determination.

Losing weight is quite a huge problem especially if you will not stick to your desire. It is impossible to lose weight without doing nothing, unless if you choose to undergo a certain type of surgery. You have to be vigilant for your own sake. You need to set your goals and reach them as well. You will no longer feel inadequate and hopeless once you realized that what you are doing is all worth it.

According to gym experts, jogging is one of the easiest and most effective ways to lose weight. Jogging becomes a tool to lose weight if you are going to perform it daily. You can surely lose and burn calories by just running every morning. You will no longer need additional equipment in order for you to perform this exercise. The only thing that you need to prepare before jogging is your jogging shoes and yourself.

Jogging is a very effective exercise to lose weight because it requires your entire body to move. It triggers your body to get rid of those unnecessary fats and sugar. Jogging is also good for those who have hypertension problems. However you must see to it that you will only perform this type of exercise during early in the morning because extreme sunlight can cause over fatigue and even skin cancer.

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A person with a weight of 100+ more pounds or the ideal body weight with a BMI of 40 is said to have morbid obesity.

What is Obesity Surgery?

The most common Obesity surgery is what is known as Gastric bypass surgery. This is also known as stomach stapling which is reducing the size of the stomach by stapling off a portion. Other variant procedures are Gastric Bypass, Biliopancreatic Diversion BPD, Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding and Tube Gastrectomy (Sleeve Gastrectomy). Another available option is the LAP-BAND® System procedure.

For whom is Obesity Surgery?
It is for generally those with morbid obesity conditions and more importantly for whom all other forms of obesity treatments have failed and who are ready for substantial changes to life style including eating habits and are willing to be monitored on a regular basis all life.

What are benefits?
First and foremost benefit is that you have quickly lost weight and look better. Consequently you have a higher self esteem and feel emotionally better. The surgery helps in controlling some the related conditions including Diabetes, High blood pressure, Sleep apnoea, Osteoarthritis, Respiratory problems, High cholesterol etc

What are the risks?

Like in any surgery, Obesity surgery has risks. Some of the most commonly known risks include Gastrointestinal Leaks, Gastric Distention, Deep Venous Thrombosis & Pulmonary Embolism, Bleeding, Heart attacks, Arrhythmia (abnormal heart rate), Respiratory issues (Breathing difficulties), Wound infection, Intrabdominal abscess,
Dehydration related issues, Gastric Prolapse (or Band Slippage), Ulcers, Bowel Obstruction besides some side effects which are less serious.

This is not an exhaustive list; nor do all of them will arise in all cases. The occurrence of these has been reportedly not so significant in per cent age terms as compared to those who have chosen to go the surgical route.

More important than all the above is the requirement that people taking to surgical treatments need to be monitored for complications for life and they have to make adjustments to their lifestyle adjustments all through the rest of their lives.

Excessive body weight including obesity and morbid obesity is combined effect of three major factors, namely genes, eating habits and physical activity. You should focus on the last two factors over which you have control. Managing these with serious and persistent efforts should be your first action before considering any obesity surgery options. Your family doctor is, of course, the most suited person to advise you on the remedial course suitable for you.

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Why?

Because being fat is unhealthy.

Living the “fat” lifestyle leads to so many health problems you don’t need, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, joint problems, and the very real possibility of missing out on so much. Not to mention not liking your appearance. This article will give you valuable information on the easiest and fastest way to lose belly fat.

So… Congratulations! Making a conscious planned decision based on good reasons to change “anything” in your life is a great and needed “first step”.

Taking these 6 steps will guarantee you start losing unwanted belly fat in about 1 week…

1. Eliminate all table sugar and sucrose, and high fructose corn syrup from your diet
2. Eliminate all simple carbs like white flour products from your diet ( bread, pasta, crackers etc)
3. Focus primarily on eating high protein, lean meats, chicken breast, steak etc…
4. Add good fats to your diet, olive oil, nuts, avocado, omega 3
5. Eat only complex carbohydrates.
6. Focus on foods with “one” ingredient

That’s’ really it… if you follow these steps you will ABSOLUTELY burn more fat than you ever thought possible, without even doing one sit up.

The reason these 6 concepts work so well is they work to keep blood sugar stable. Control blood sugar to lose fat. The most critical factor in keeping appetite suppressed as well as determining how your body burns energy is controlling blood sugar.

This eating plan converts your body lnto a fat BURNING machine as it FORCES you to use fat stores for energy… do it and you’ll notice changes in 1 week

Also, unlike most conventional diets that are consumed with monitoring calories until you’re confused, frustrated and completely lose track, this eating plan allows you to eat like a king ( or queen).

Key To Making IT Work…

The key to making this plan work for you is to learn about the hundreds and hundreds of food choices you need to begin eating. You also need to know about the sneaky foods you MUST eliminate. I can’t emphasize this enough, because even small amounts o f the wrong foods will throw your fat burning process out of whack. For example, you’ll be eliminating fruit juices as they actually contain lots of processed sugar and will sky rocket your blood sugar level, causing you to get hungry and hang on to fat cells.

So what are you waiting for? The video below goes into detail about exactly which foods to eat and avoid…and you will be very (pleasantly) surprised!

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