The days of the fad diets are over, for the smart people that is. Fad diets are great for selling magazines on the rack at the checkout counter of your grocery store. They promise the world, but when you get a chance to read the article it's usually full of useless fluff. Yet these magazines continue to sell well with their weight loss wonder headlines because our world is becoming more and more obese every year with no end in sight. And many people are having a difficult time knowing where to turn - what is fluff, and what will really help them lose weight?
I've been on diets and weight loss programs before where I get excited, lose a few pounds, get tired of it all, quit, and finally I end up even heavier than before my diet started. But I am finally learning that to lose weight and keep it off I need to change my lifestyle. I need to change the way I eat. I need to change the way I think. I need to change the way I exercise.
I have lost 50 pounds in 5 months, and I have some more to go. But this time I've made changes that are sticking. In the past I would last about 3 months on a diet or workout routine. This time I've changed my life!
I tried eating less, but now I'm eating smarter. I used to think that if I could just cut my calories I would lose weight. What I discovered was that I put my body into a very unhealthy starvation mode. Our bodies can sense when we are not consuming enough calories. They automatically shift modes to conserve the fat! You will find that you can lose some weight with a crash diet, but what you may not realize is that your body will get its fuel from your organs and muscles. This is terrible because lean muscle actually helps you burn fat. When you go on a crash diet you will lose muscle weight. Then when you decide you don't like this diet you are worse off than when you started. Now your metabolism is lower because you lost so much muscle. Your body needs fewer calories to sustain itself so when you eat more the extra calories will go to fat that much quicker. Your weight will skyrocket, and you would have been better off not dieting at all!
One key is to learn to eat the right kind of foods to maintain your muscles while your body burns the fat. Yes you probably do need to consume fewer calories, but when you eat the right foods it can actually become easier to eat less. When you eat the right kinds of proteins in the proper amounts your muscles will be naturally fed and maintained. The most important time to get protein into your body is with breakfast. Breakfast sets your body up for a day of burning the fat.
I've been on diets and weight loss programs before where I get excited, lose a few pounds, get tired of it all, quit, and finally I end up even heavier than before my diet started. But I am finally learning that to lose weight and keep it off I need to change my lifestyle. I need to change the way I eat. I need to change the way I think. I need to change the way I exercise.
I have lost 50 pounds in 5 months, and I have some more to go. But this time I've made changes that are sticking. In the past I would last about 3 months on a diet or workout routine. This time I've changed my life!
I tried eating less, but now I'm eating smarter. I used to think that if I could just cut my calories I would lose weight. What I discovered was that I put my body into a very unhealthy starvation mode. Our bodies can sense when we are not consuming enough calories. They automatically shift modes to conserve the fat! You will find that you can lose some weight with a crash diet, but what you may not realize is that your body will get its fuel from your organs and muscles. This is terrible because lean muscle actually helps you burn fat. When you go on a crash diet you will lose muscle weight. Then when you decide you don't like this diet you are worse off than when you started. Now your metabolism is lower because you lost so much muscle. Your body needs fewer calories to sustain itself so when you eat more the extra calories will go to fat that much quicker. Your weight will skyrocket, and you would have been better off not dieting at all!
One key is to learn to eat the right kind of foods to maintain your muscles while your body burns the fat. Yes you probably do need to consume fewer calories, but when you eat the right foods it can actually become easier to eat less. When you eat the right kinds of proteins in the proper amounts your muscles will be naturally fed and maintained. The most important time to get protein into your body is with breakfast. Breakfast sets your body up for a day of burning the fat.
By John Silks.
