Losing more than a pound or two a week is not healthy. Fast weight loss is bad for two main reasons.
Lose weight fast and you will lose muscle
Firstly, if you lose weight quickly you lose muscle along with fat. This is bad when it comes to weight loss.
Muscle burns more calories than fat. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn and this applies to when you’re not doing anything strenuous. Losing muscle is therefore not a good idea.
Lose weight fast and you slow your metabolism
Secondly, if you lose weight too quickly your body will slow down your metabolism.
When we skip meals or crash diet, our body is programmed to think it’s starving and slows down our metabolism to conserve energy.
What is conserved is our fat stores; our weight loss comes from water and muscle.
A Graphic example
For example, studies show that when dieting, the weight we lose is approximately 75 percent fat and 25 percent muscle.
In addition, a relatively high percentage of this weight loss is likely to be water.
Keep in mind, water accounts for about 70 percent of the total body weight of an average person, with muscle tissue containing approximately 75 percent water and body fat containing about 50 percent water.
Losing weight quickly is therefore very difficult as we are simply losing water in the sort term.
The dangers of crash dieting
Crash dieting refers is a method in which we lose weight simply by restricting the number of calories consumed.
This method of losing weight fast is considered unhealthy, and it is rare that people who do it keep weight off.
They cannot adjust to these new unhealthy eating habits and then put the weight straight back on.
Your goal should be long term weight loss
Consider this, if you only lost a pound a week that would be 52 pounds a year and that is a lot of weight.
If you lose weight slowly you will remain healthy and also stand a good chance of keeping it off.
The maximum amount of body fat a healthy person can lose is about 1 or 2 pounds per week.
The human body is simply not designed to lose weight quickly and this is a healthy amount of weight loss to aim for.
Reasons why losing weight fast is difficult and unhealthy
Our bodies are programmed to help us survive in times of starvation.
Our basic body reactions have been set since man first walked the earth and in those days food was not just a phone call, or short walk away.
In times gone by, famine was the biggest threat to mans survival and your body is programmed to protect you.
This is why it won’t ever lose excessive amounts of fat in a short period of time; your body is programmed to conserve fat.
If you drastically reduce your calorie intake, you slow down your metabolism, in order to conserve calories, as we discussed earlier.
This is one reason why we encounter a weight loss quickly is, so difficult as your body actively fights to conserve weight, it’s a survival reflex.
Side Effects of Losing Weight quickly
In addition losing weight quickly has serious side affects that can harm us
Appearance of Loose Skin
If you shed weight too quickly, your skin does not have time to shrink to your new body dimensions.
The only effective treatment for this is to fix the lose skin with surgery.
Gallstones
Studies have shown that people who lose weight quickly, have a greater risk of developing gallstones.
Lack of energy and illness
Depending on the diet there are a host of other complications including lack of energy and nausea for those who cut out carbs and a general feeling of ill health and lack of energy as you deprive your body of food.
Lose weight slowly
Don’t be taken in by quick fix weight loss, its not possible aim for longer term weight loss.
You will lose weight, keep it off and feel both healthier and happier.
How to do
Losing more than a pound or two a week is not healthy. Fast weight loss is bad for two main reasons.
Lose weight fast and you will lose muscle
Firstly, if you lose weight quickly you lose muscle along with fat. This is bad when it comes to weight loss.
Muscle burns more calories than fat. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn and this applies to when you’re not doing anything strenuous. Losing muscle is therefore not a good idea.
Lose weight fast and you slow your metabolism
Secondly, if you lose weight too quickly your body will slow down your metabolism.
When we skip meals or crash diet, our body is programmed to think it’s starving and slows down our metabolism to conserve energy.
What is conserved is our fat stores; our weight loss comes from water and muscle.
A Graphic example
For example, studies show that when dieting, the weight we lose is approximately 75 percent fat and 25 percent muscle.
In addition, a relatively high percentage of this weight loss is likely to be water.
Keep in mind, water accounts for about 70 percent of the total body weight of an average person, with muscle tissue containing approximately 75 percent water and body fat containing about 50 percent water.
Losing weight quickly is therefore very difficult as we are simply losing water in the sort term.
The dangers of crash dieting
Crash dieting refers is a method in which we lose weight simply by restricting the number of calories consumed.
This method of losing weight fast is considered unhealthy, and it is rare that people who do it keep weight off.
They cannot adjust to these new unhealthy eating habits and then put the weight straight back on.
Your goal should be long term weight loss
Consider this, if you only lost a pound a week that would be 52 pounds a year and that is a lot of weight.
If you lose weight slowly you will remain healthy and also stand a good chance of keeping it off.
The maximum amount of body fat a healthy person can lose is about 1 or 2 pounds per week.
The human body is simply not designed to lose weight quickly and this is a healthy amount of weight loss to aim for.
Reasons why losing weight fast is difficult and unhealthy
Our bodies are programmed to help us survive in times of starvation.
Our basic body reactions have been set since man first walked the earth and in those days food was not just a phone call, or short walk away.
In times gone by, famine was the biggest threat to mans survival and your body is programmed to protect you.
This is why it won’t ever lose excessive amounts of fat in a short period of time; your body is programmed to conserve fat.
If you drastically reduce your calorie intake, you slow down your metabolism, in order to conserve calories, as we discussed earlier.
This is one reason why we encounter a weight loss quickly is, so difficult as your body actively fights to conserve weight, it’s a survival reflex.
Side Effects of Losing Weight quickly
In addition losing weight quickly has serious side affects that can harm us
Appearance of Loose Skin
If you shed weight too quickly, your skin does not have time to shrink to your new body dimensions.
The only effective treatment for this is to fix the lose skin with surgery.
Gallstones
Studies have shown that people who lose weight quickly, have a greater risk of developing gallstones.
Lack of energy and illness
Depending on the diet there are a host of other complications including lack of energy and nausea for those who cut out carbs and a general feeling of ill health and lack of energy as you deprive your body of food.
Lose weight slowly
Don’t be taken in by quick fix weight loss, its not possible aim for longer term weight loss.
You will lose weight, keep it off and feel both healthier and happier.
How to do
Many people who attempt to lose weight do so by trying to cut back on the amount of food they eat. Now while this may work to a certain extent in the short term, it certainly is not a long term solution and definitely not the best way to lose weight. There is even a chance that if you cut out too much food from your diet that it could have a negative effect on your health. On top of this a large drop in calories is associated with starvation mode, which will actually prevent you from losing weight successfully.
Crash diets are probably the unhealthiest ways to lose weight. When your body doesn’t receive an adequate amount of calories, it slows its abilities to burn calories effectively. This can often lead to feelings of ill health, a weakened immune system and potential illness. If your body does not receive enough calories through eating, it will have to find them from somewhere else. Your body will take the calories from the protein in your muscles. This will results in your muscles becoming much weaker and smaller, leading to more tiredness. You may lose weight this way but most of it will be muscle weight and not fat weight. It is the fat that needs to be shifted and not the muscle. Nobody has ever felt bad or had low self esteem because they had too much muscle.
When it comes to changing your diet so that you can reach your weight loss goals there are 2 things that you need to do. Firstly cut out all the calories from unhealthy foods and replace them with calories from healthy foods. If you feel that you are consuming too many calories regardless of the source, and then simply cut out no more than 500 calories per day from your diet. Anything around 300-500 will be fine. Cut out too many and yes you’ve guessed it: you hit starvation mode. The second thing that you will have to do is to eat more often. This means instead of consuming your daily calories within 2 or 3 meals spread them out to 5 or 6 meals. This needs to be done because your body can only digest a certain amount of food. Any extra will be stored as fat. Smaller meals have less chance of being stored as fat because your body can digest and use most of it.
Exercise is a must if you want to lose weight. You should engage in cardio and resistance exercise. Resistance exercise involves training with weights. Training with weights will increase the size of your muscles. The more muscle you have the more calories you will burn, so if you increase your muscle mass, you will increase the amount of calories you burn, and this equals fat loss. Cardio exercise is also required for fat loss. Apart from losing weight other benefits will include a stronger heart, better oxygen intake, more energy, and general all round health.
This last step should have actually been the first step but I left it until last because it only becomes a problem a few weeks after starting a weight loss program. This is the question of motivation and willpower. Many people fail to keep up the motivation to lose weight after a short period of time and give up trying. One of the main reasons behind this is due to having unrealistic goals. These probably come from the way many diets and weight loss products are advertised. If you expect to lose 30 or 40 pounds a month, you can forget it! Your body cannot lose this amount of weight in a safe and effective way.
You must set realistic goals, losing 2 or possibly 3 pounds of weight a week is a more realistic view. Your body can cope with this amount of weight loss and mentally so can you. This may not sound like a lot when you compare it to what some dubious weight loss products or diets claim. However it is precisely those people who use these types of products and diets, that fail to lose weight and give up trying. A realistic approach will ensure that you lose weight on a regular basis and ensure that the weight will stay off. All this can be achieved without having a negative impact on your health, and with testing your motivation and willpower too much.
You don’t need diet pills, weight loss supplements or popular fad diets to lose weight. All you need is a realistic approach, a healthy diet, and a good exercise program consisting of cardio training and weight training. This without doubt is the best way to lose weight.
If you are not a fan of public gyms with sweaty strangers and obnoxious show-offs, you are in luck. There are other ways to exercise without going to a gym. Actually, there are 5 specific ways to lose weight without going to the gym. It’s really very simple.
Your weight loss program and weight loss diet can go hand in hand without the extra cost of a gym membership. If you’re wondering how that’s possible, don’t worry; it is truly simple, just stick to these top 5 ways to lose weight:
1. Plan Your Weight Loss Program Successfully
When you first decide to make the effort to lose weight, you will want to set up a general and flexible plan to follow. Make sure that you set goals for yourself in regular increments, for example, every week, every month, etc.
These goals should be realistic and achievable and include both nutrition and exercise goals. If you set goals too high for you, the disappointment in possibly coming up short can sometimes be too much to overcome. But you do want to consistently push yourself to your limits; it’s the only way to improve.
2. When You Want to Lose Weight, Be Flexible
Once you start on your weight loss program, be cool and understand that you may have to adjust your weight loss program from time to time. Be sure that you are ready to change your previous lifestyle. Proper, healthy nutrition does not include junk food and soda.
You may be able to sneak a few junk food items here and there but make sure to keep it occasional, otherwise your weight loss efforts will be in vain. Also, you should set aside time for exercise, which can be tough to get used to but it is an important change to be flexible with.
3. Keep Your Weight Loss Goals Front and Center
Whenever you feel like you will surrender to junk food, remember your weight loss goals. Keep motivated even if you are losing weight a bit slower than planned. But weight loss is not all about losing weight and nothing else.
Actually, your weight loss program should also include ways to treat yourself when you have achieved your goals. Eyeing those awesome shoes? Craving a shopping trip? For a success weight loss goal achieved, you deserve to treat yourself!
4. Weight Loss Does Not Mean Starve
Even while you are on a weight loss diet, you should always eat every meal. Skipping breakfast may sound like a good idea but actually it causes you to gain weight. Do not skip any of your regular meals. You can change it to more small meals throughout the day but make sure to eat healthy, wholesome foods to ensure you will lose weight.
5. How to Lose Weight While Pampering Your Body
A successful weight loss program includes both nutrition and exercise. Be sure to include simple exercises for you to do outside of the gym. This added part will help you lose weight safely and in a healthy manner. Your focus should be on burning fat (because you will want to lose fat along with the weight) and building muscle.
Make sure to get plenty of rest too each night; the rest will allow your body to do its fat burning job. While you’re working hard to lose weight, make sure to find time to relax your body and mind. This can heighten your energy and efforts for losing weight.
Follow these top 5 ways to lose weight and you’ll see results in no time! Gear up for summer weight loss by staying out of the gym and using outdoor activities to help burn fat!
How to do
You finally decide to lose those excess pounds of body fat. You open your favorite search engine and start looking for the “best weight loss program” or some “magic” pill that will make things much easier for you. You find tons of ads that offer you fast and effortless weight loss in few weeks or even days, and you think, “Wow, that’s exactly what I am looking for.”
Unfortunately, the chances of finding something that really works are minimal. Why? Because 99% of the weight loss systems or drugs you will find are either potentially dangerous for your health or pure marketing hype. Everybody likes to hear that losing weight is fast and easy, and nobody wants to hear it is a gradual process that requires some effort and discipline. So the self-claimed weight loss “experts” are giving to you exactly what you are looking for – a fast and easy solution for your problem. Unfortunately the easy way is not the way that will lead you to healthy and long-term results. If you want to learn how to detect the hype and the gimmicks you have to understand the basics of weight loss first. So let’s start!
Weight loss vs. fat loss
First of all, let’s consider the differences between both things: There are many ways to lose weight -losing water weight, losing muscle and bone weight, and losing body fat. In fact, it is very easy to lose “weight.” Just start exercising and reduce your water intake and you will lose several pounds in the first few days. When exercising, your body loses a lot of water and because you have stopped drinking liquids, you easily become dehydrated and you will weigh several pounds less. But is this is a long-term and healthy weight loss? Of course not. You will gain back the weight as soon as you restore your normal water intake.
Here is another example: When you go on a diet and cut your calorie intake too much, your body detects the severe calorie deficit and slows down your metabolism. As a result, you stop losing fat (your reserve fuel), and start getting the energy you need from the muscle tissue. The result is decreased body weight, but unfortunately you have lost muscle instead of losing body fat.
As you see, to achieve long-term, natural weight loss you need to burn as much fat as possible with the minimum lean body mass loss.
How exactly fat is burned?
If you are a healthy person, to successfully lose fat you only need to burn more calories than you eat (or drink) while maintaining your metabolism fast. Isn’t it simple? In order to achieve this, your calories must come from the proper food sources, such as lean protein (chicken breast, egg whites, seafood, extra-lean red meat), complex carbs (oatmeal, brown rice, whole grains, vegetables, etc.) and “good” fats (olive oil, flaxseeds, fatty fish and cod liver oil). You should also add some kind of cardio exercise to your program, such as walking, jogging or cycling. Keep in mind that cardio is considered the best way to directly burn the fat.
Let’s look at an example:
If you burn 2500 kCal and eat about 2000 kCal every day, that is a deficit of 500 kCal. There are 3500 kCal in 1 pound of fat. This means you will be burning 1 pound per week of pure body fat. Surprised? Yes, only 1 pound per week. I know “10 pounds in two days!” sounds much better, but that is far from realistic goal.
Keep in mind that if you cut your calorie intake too much, you will slow down your metabolism, and this is not desirable if your goal is fat loss. This means that “Eat 500 kCal – Burn 2500 kCal – Lose 4 pounds per week” won’t work for you.
It’s definitely possible to burn fat at faster rates (with proper nutrition and exercise program), even without supplements, but keep in mind that the maximum rate that is considered healthy is 2 pounds per week (if you are extremely overweight, up to 3 pounds per week is fine). Achieving healthy long-term weight loss faster is practically impossible. If you find products or nutrition plans that promise fast weight loss, they probably base their claims on dehydration. You can lose water weight really fast but this is not a real fat loss and can lead to serious health conditions.
Summary
You don’t need a pill to lose weight. You don’t need to starve yourself, to restrict the intake of any macronutrient, or to buy any “miracle” product. You just need to consume fewer calories than you burn, and those should come from good natural food sources. The best way to increase the amount of calories you burn and to create such calorie deficit is to exercise. Mild calorie restriction plus 30 to 40 minutes of intensive cardio exercise every day is the “magic formula” you are looking for and that will make you lose fat like never before.
How to do
The food that you eat will contain a certain number of calories. You will need a certain amount of calories to maintain your bodyweight as it stands at the present time. This is called your maintenance level.
If the amount of calories that you consume goes over your maintenance level, then you will put on more weight. If the amount of calories that you consume goes under your maintenance level, then you will lose weight.
In theory it sounds a simple and straightforward method towards losing weight. However things are never as simple as they appear. Weight loss can be a bit more complex, if it wasn’t then nobody would be overweight.
The first thing that you have to know is that not all calories are created equal. A gram of protein and a gram of carbohydrates each contain 4 calories. A gram of fat on the other hand contains 9 calories. When you check on food labels as to the amount of fat that is contained, always remember the amount of calories which are coming from fat.
Another thing to keep in mind is that certain types of calories are more prone to be stored as fat than others. Especially calories that are consumed from foods that contain high levels of sugar. So it’s not just a question of how many calories you eat, but what types of calories you eat.
While it’s true that cutting back on calories will help you lose a certain amount of weight. What you need to consider is the quality of weight that you are losing and not just the quantity. Weight, just like calories comes in different forms. If you lost a limb in an accident, you will have lost some weight. However this would not be the type of weight you would be happy losing.
Much of the weight that people lose when they cut back drastically on calories comes from muscle. Muscle loss is something that you will want to avoid at all costs.
Let’s face it; you haven’t become overweight by carrying too much muscle on your body. It is the amount of fat that your body is carrying that has led to you becoming overweight. So it makes sense to focus on losing the fat and holding onto any muscle that you can.
Everyone has the same amount of muscles on their bodies. The only difference is the size of the muscles. The bigger the muscle the more calories your body will burn to keep that muscle. Don’t think for one minute that you will begin to look like some bodybuilder, because you won’t. Not unless you train your muscles for many years. However if you are trying to lose weight, you will reach your goal quicker if you do some form of resistance training (weight training).
Fat can be very stubborn to shift and nobody is more aware of that than you. The key to losing fat and holding onto muscle, apart from a healthy diet, is to have a good exercise programme. A good mix of cardiovascular and resistance training is the perfect cocktail. Cardiovascular training will help you burn fat and resistance training will help you to keep your muscle weight.
You may be under the impression that resistance training will consist of grunting and groaning with heavy weights in gym full of steroid injecting hulks. This is not the reality of the situation. All you need to do is to focus on what is going to be challenging for you. Don’t be concerned about how much weight you use; as long as it’s working your muscles and you are feeling it, then you are doing it right.
If you only do cardiovascular exercise you will lose some weight. However because you are losing muscle as well, it can leave your body looking loose and flabby. Using a weight training routine will result in your body becoming firmer and more toned, not to mention the benefits f becoming stronger.
As for your diet, it will not just be a question of what you eat but when you eat. This is a hugely important issue that is at times overlooked.
Your body is designed in such a way that it is only capable of using a certain amount of food at any given time. How much your body can use depends on the life you lead. If you are very active your body will be able to assimilate more food. If however you are not active your body will only use a certain amount of food and store the rest as fat.
The mistake many people make when they are trying to lose weight is that they often cut back on the amount of meals that they eat. Most people will often cut down to 1 or 2 meals a day and sometimes one of those meals will contain more calories than their bodies will be able to use. On top of this, leaving long gaps between meals slows down your metabolism resulting in fewer calories being burned.
Most people trying to lose weight unknowingly do everything that will prevent them from losing weight on a permanent basis. Because they will not get the results that they want by eating fewer meals less frequently, they give up trying to lose weight under the impression that they are not capable of doing so.
The secret is to eat small amounts of food more often. If your body is fed small amounts of food every 3 or 4 hours, your body will be able to use this food more effectively. Plus because you are getting a food intake on a regular basis, your metabolism will speed up knowing it is getting calories regularly and that it can afford to burn calories as it will be getting some more in a few hours.
Eating in this way not only speeds up your metabolism, it also allows your body to use the food that you eat in a way that it is happy with. Because you are eating smaller amounts there are no extra calories to be stored as fat.
Traditionally our last meal of the day also tends to be our biggest one. This can also be problematic when it comes to losing weight. Eating a large meal in the evening is counterproductive to weight loss, simply because you will be less active in the evening and will not burn off as many calories. So a fair amount of the food that you eat can be stored as fat.
If your biggest meal of the day was eaten in the morning or at lunch time, much of the calories would be used up through your daily activities. It can be difficult to change the eating habits of a lifetime, but if you are serious about losing weight then it has to be something that you must consider.
It is a fact that some people are more prone to putting on weight than others. Your genetics and body shape will play a role in how easy it is for you to gain or lose weight. Although this can be a setback you must remember that it is still only one part of the equation. There are many other things that will affect whether you lose weight, so do not focus just on the genetics that you have been given.
If you find it easy to put on weight you may have to work a little harder than some other people to keep it off. Don’t think that your genetics will be a huge obstacle in losing weight. If you want to do it bad enough then you will succeed in doing so. Besides think of how much prouder you will be when you do succeed, as you would have done it without certain advantages.
Some of the things you will need to think about are:
Watching what you eat Watching how much you eat Exercise on a regular basis Become more active in other areas of your life Be more determined Be more persistent Remember why you are doing it
Thousands of people lose weight successfully, if you really want to you can become one of them!
There are thousands of weight loss programs and how to lose weight naturally tips being proffered online. Some are sensible whilst others introduce radical methods which may be unhealthy or may even be dangerous. So which of these weight loss sites should you trust?
Before we cut through the clutter and the confusion, first of all, there is no free lunch. Most of the weight loss and fitness websites are there for a reason, to sell their products. Do you think the site owners will give you free and complete information? Of course not.
Sure, you may find some sites, blogs and forums by generous people giving you free information on how to lose weight naturally. However, are these people professionals in this field? If not, do you dare risk your health by practising what they say?
Therefore, I am of the school that goes by the tried and tested conventional method of losing weight naturally. To lose weight naturally and keep the weight off permanently, you must consume fewer calories than you expand calories.
“Duh? So what’s new?” you are probably asking me right now.
Ok. I do concede that everyone knows this. Now, if that is the case, then why is it that there are still many overweight people? Why are there are so many people who have tried so many methods and programs to lose weight and yet have failed miserably?
Even if some of them were successful and managed to shed a few pounds here and there, they cannot seem to be able to keep the weight off for long and soon, the weight that they have lost returned to haunt them. Are you one of them? If so, do you want to know why?
The reason why the weight that they have lost came back is that because most people go for quick fixed weight loss solutions. People prefer the no pain and hassle free methods to lose weight such as taking weight loss pills, going on fad diets or slimming salon treatments.
Many people are still falling into the lure of these quick fixed weight loss advertisements because they are promised that they can lose weight naturally without having to undergo painful exercises and changing eating habits. People will naturally try to avoid pain and take short cuts. The path of the least resistance is only a human trait isn’t it?
So how to lose weight naturally and keep extra body fat away forever? Just practice these natural weight loss tips regularly and you will lose pound after pound week after week of extra fat:-
a)Develop Correct Eating Habits
Eat 5-6 small meals a day to keep your metabolism revving in high gear throughout the day. Drink more plain water instead of sugar laden soft drinks, coffee and tea. Just keep in mind that the amount of calories you eat must be less than what you will use for energy. Simply doing this will help your body burn calories from body fat instead of from the food you consume.
b)Lift Weights to Gain Muscles
The more muscles you have, the more your body will naturally burn calories because your muscles need calories to function and stay alive.
You don’t have to gain big muscles like the bodybuilders, but just enough to buff and tone you up nicely and at the same time enjoy the calorie burning effect of your muscles. Your muscles will stay with you if you exercise with weight consistently and this will keep extra body fat at away and is one of the best ways to lose extra body fat permanently.
c)Perform Cardiovascular Exercises
Cardio workouts burn calories fast. That is if you perform the exercises until you are panting and puffing for at least 20-30 minutes. If you can read a book or listen to music whilst doing cardio exercises, then your cardio exercises are not intensive enough to burn fat effectively.
Do this 5-6 times a week as part of your natural weight loss program or 2-3 times a week for weight maintenance program.
By following the above weight loss tips, you should be losing 1-2 pounds a week and losing the extra weight naturally and healthily. Actually, to lose weight naturally is really a very simple process and need not be as complex as some people want you to believe.
How to do.
Are you committed to losing weight and keeping it off? Have you tried diet and weight loss programs that robbed you of your energy as well as your desire to live in optimal health? Do you want to learn how to lose weight and maintain optimal health, regain strength, vitality, and your youthful vigor? There is a way and the way involves learning the science of losing weight. Losing weight is the result of a chemical reaction in the body which causes stored body fat to burn and be used for energy.
Losing weight and excess body fat have been deemed a battle for many. Many people make several attempts over their lifetime to lose weight and trim body fat. With determination, many of us try a new diet and rely on willpower to lose weight and maintain our fitness programs. With the fad dieter mentality, we quickly discover willpower alone just is not enough.
Unfortunately, willpower is not the key to losing weight because in order to have any power at all, we must first be empowered with information, knowledge, and strategies. This empowerment will not only help us lose weight and keep it off but this empowerment will also help us achieve optimal health. This empowerment happens when we learn the science of losing weight. When we learn the science of losing weight, we empower ourselves through knowledge and we can enjoy permanent and healthy weight loss.
Losing weight is a science; therefore, we must take a scientific view of how we gain weight in the first place. For example, did you know that 80% of all people who are overweight battle food addictions and tend to be emotional eaters? Did you know that food addiction and emotional eating is the result of chemicals found in the foods you eat? The science of losing weight explains how this happens. From day one of our lives, not only has food been associated with emotional comfort in our mother’s arms, it has also been our way to socialize with others. In many ways food has been how we connect with others. Moreover, comfort foods, as they are often called, induce our brain to secrete a happy feeling chemical that is a hundred times stronger than most alcohol and drugs.
As one can determine, this resulting physiological factor can overwhelm anyone’s willpower effectively and quickly. Not only can these chemical laden foods destroy your willpower, because these foods lead to food addictions, but comfort foods also deplete our energy, slow down our metabolism, and cause our bodies to store fat. The weight loss process itself is not that difficult, but the stress associated with battling food addiction is what makes losing weight feel very difficult.
Serving as an answer to this struggle, the science of losing weight is a pertinent study; in fact, it is a two fold study. It is studying how food affects our body psychologically and how these chemicals affect our body psychologically. Many of us see this interplay everyday in our own diets, but we do not know how to address these issues.
In our society, comfort foods are apart of our culture, interactions, and customs. We celebrate with food. We mourn with food. Birthday parties, we have food. Holidays, we have food. We use food to cheer up. We use food to reward. And when we celebrate, mourn, and cheer ourselves up with food, it is not raw fruits, vegetables nuts, seeds, and grains we choose. Instead of nutritious foods, we choose comfort foods such as processed foods, starches, sugars, carbonated drinks, alcohol, deep fried foods, and rich fatty sauces. This habit of celebrating with comfort foods is what makes losing weight and body fat a task. For many it is a constant battle to resist highly addictive processed foods full of sugars, starches, and empty calories.
What we must realize is these foods were designed to be addictive. And the addiction is based on science; therefore, we must learn the science of losing weight in order to heal our bodies as well as our minds. It is all very physiological and psychological at the same time. After all, a certain brand of potato chips declared…you can not eat just one.
As one can see, these foods are called comfort foods for a reason. They have been chemically designed to comfort. Accordingly, take a moment to view the science behind this…
As we eat comfort foods, a feel good hormone is released called serotonin. However, the release is sharp and unregulated which causes us to crash soon afterwards. This crash leads to depression, loss of energy, and lethargy. So what happens? We crave the serotonin high and return to yet more comfort foods.
Is there a way to break this cycle of chasing the serotonin high? When we understand the science of losing weight, we discover there are nutritious foods we can eat in certain combinations and quantities that will release serotonin naturally and in a more regulated manner. As such, when we eat these nutritious foods, we feel ecstatic throughout the day without a dreadful crash and loss of energy.
We can not pile on the chemical laden comfort foods and expect to lose weight. The food and drug industry have played on our love for comfort foods and have caused an epidemic of obesity. Consequently, this is the law of chemical affinity at work in the worst way.
Take a look at another scientific component to losing weight. Did you know that properly combining your food will trigger the chemical reaction that promotes proper digestion, elimination, and a faster metabolic rate? Yes, there are specific ways in which we can combine our foods to help us quickly metabolize fat, carbohydrates, and proteins, use them for energy, and prevent storing additional fat.
In fact, proper food combinations help to keep our body at proper pH levels for burning fat stored already on the body. With these efforts, your body will better respond to your exercise and fitness program. Weight loss will be a natural process without losing energy. This will allow you to literally reshape your body.
Have no fear. When you learn the science of losing weight for optimal health, you never have to worry about starvation. Starvation does not promote weight loss. The science of losing weight contends that you can eat plenty of food and still lose weight. The science of losing weight demands that you do eat.
However, there is much more to the process. In order to know what to do and when to do it, we must get accurate information. We need to learn more about how our bodies work and how we can keep our bodies healthy, fit, vital, and strong.
Empower yourself with knowledge and wisdom about the science of losing weight. Get control over your life and your body.
How to do
Throughout the years, many people have tried and tried and tried to lose some weight, either because they want to look better, or because they want to live a healthier life, or both.
During this time, many people have surrendered their hope of trimming substantial pounds, mainly because of the sacrifices demanded by various weight loss plans.
I’ll tell you why a lot of people view the prospect of losing some weight as hopeless. It’s because many myths – false ones at that – have been attached to the idea of achieving and maintaining a lean and fit body.
Eat a lot less, gain less weight.
Work up some sweat, lose an equivalent amount of fats.
Depriving yourself of many foods you enjoy is the only way to lose weight.
These are but some of the things that countless people believe as true when it comes to the idea of losing weight. Indeed, they are quite intimidating. Eat less? How less? Do extraneous activities? How extraneous? Deprive yourself of foods?
But here’s the real truth: there are simpler ways to lose weight.
In this article, we will discuss the 3 essential components of this simple-to-follow and simple-to-execute course of action that will demand fewer sacrifices from you.
No. 1: Adhere To A More Active Lifestyle
A friend of mine used to work as a telecommuter. She managed her client’s needs from the comforts of her own home. She stayed at home most of the day, sitting in front of the PC with the phone by her side. In a year’s time, she ballooned to 155 pounds, an increase of 37 lbs. from her previous average weight of 118 lbs., and 45 lbs. above her ideal height-to-body mass weight of 110 lbs.
The following year, she received an offer for a 9-to-5 job as a secretary for one of the leading law firms in L.A. This meant an hour and a half commuting time to and from the place of work. She accepted the job because of the irresistible pay.
Guess what?
In 7 months, she lost 25 lbs.
Sometimes, we live a lifestyle that only allows a minimal number of physical activities. This can be disastrous for our weight, and as such can slow down our metabolism, allowing a more rapid pace for fat buildup.
Physical exertion burns fats. Hence, if you want to lose weight, you should be engaged in a more active lifestyle.
A “more active lifestyle” doesn’t necessarily mean the life of a gym rat (though if you can afford that much time to exercise in the gym, all will be good). It simply means ensuring that our body accomplishes enough physical activities to maintain a healthy rate of metabolism.
Now, physical activities don’t have to involve pumping iron or enrolling in marathon aerobic classes. You don’t have to train in 10 sports and practice to be a top athlete.
A set of stomach crunches upon waking up will burn some calories, for example. Performing a dozen mini-squats during office hours, will burn some more calories. Taking a walk in the park with friends perhaps during your lunch break or instead of catching up for a chat over coffee. These all help you to be more active.
Small, time-efficient exercises spread throughout the day will allow your body to burn enough calories so that they don’t transform into unwanted fats. More importantly, such exercises will also train your metabolism to maintain a healthy pace.
No. 2: Make Healthier Choices Each Time You Eat
“Do I have to go through the day with an empty tummy?”
This is the most common question asked by people who are trying – or are planning to try – to lose some weight.
The answer: no, you don’t have to sacrifice eating just to lose weight.
You need to eat a reasonable amount of food each day to keep your body functioning at its best. However, you should divide your food into several small meals to be taken throughout the day. This way, your body will be trained to digest small chunks of food at a time, which is more effective in controlling fat buildup.
You need to also avoid taking heavy meals in the evening because once you go to bed with undigested food, your body will slow down in metabolizing your intakes.
Yes, you don’t have to sacrifice eating, per se.
But, you will have to reduce some of the food you have grown to love. Calorie-rich meals can be saved for special occasions. Cholesterol-rich foods should be avoided as much as possible, because they tend to make you fatter and pose health hazards, especially for people who are overweight. For the same reason, sodium-rich snacks should likewise be avoided for the problems they can cause.
3: Burning Fats By Eating Well
When it comes to losing weight, the magic word is “metabolism.” The rule is simple. Slow metabolism = more weight gain, fast metabolism = more weight loss. Metabolism refers to your body system’s ability to burn fats.
Hence, the secret to weight loss becomes apparent. That is, establish a faster rate of metabolism in your body.
Now, here’s a piece of good news: faster metabolism doesn’t have to involve less food intake.
On the contrary, it’s possible to say that “the more you eat, the more fats you can burn.”
This can be accomplished through healthy eating of foods such as lean protein, wholegrains, fruit and vegetables. These choices, in general, also consist of food that are harder to digest, and because the body will exert more effort in digesting them, more calories will be burned in the process.
How to do.
Have you recently asked yourself, “How can I motivate myself to lose weight?” If so, you need to know that you are among millions of other people feeling the same way.
Losing weight is one of the main focuses in today’s world. As we have seen the problem of excessive weight increase, it has become all too clear that losing weight for the sake of health is vital.
When you say, “How can I motivate myself to lose weight?”, it shows that you are truly interested in dropping pounds and achieving a healthier lifestyle. You should be very proud of yourself for being interested in finding ways of motivation.
After all, when it comes to weight loss, accepting that you are carrying around too much weight is the first step. From there, you can identify motivating ways of getting on the right, weight loss program to finally, get rid of the unwanted pounds.
Finding ways to motivate myself to lose weight can be somewhat overwhelming. Because of this, we have done much of the homework for you, pulling together some excellent motivational means of helping you get started toward your new life. Once you have reached your goal, you will be healthier, feel better, have more energy, and discovered a new sense of self.
1. Goals and Deadlines
You need to identify the amount of weight you want to lose and then set a time frame for achieving that goal. For instance, you might want to lose 50 pounds over the next eight months, which is realistic. If you start by setting an unrealistic goal and deadline, then you have just set yourself up for failure. However, one of the best ways to I motivate myself to lose weight is to create a goal that is attainable.
2. Rewards
It is also important that you reward yourself when goals are met. For this, we recommend that you set your goals in increments so you have ongoing rewards. Let us say you lost 10 pounds in the first month. You should make this an accomplishment, doing something nice for yourself. Rewards do not have to be expensive but something that will keep you motivated.
3. Attitude
Going back to when you asked yourself, “How can I motivate myself to lose weight?”, you had a great attitude, having made the decision to make change. This same attitude will need to be carried throughout the time you lose weight since you will be faced with times of discouragement. You might drop the first 20 pounds quickly, only to discover the next 10 are not coming off. Be patient, persistent, and maintain your attitude, knowing this delay is only temporary.
4. Visual Effects
An excellent way I motivate myself to lose weight is to use visual effects. In this case, if you have a photo of you at your heaviest, post it in a place where it will be seen daily. Then, post another photo of you when you were thinner and healthier or someone who you would like to be like, again putting it in a place where it can be easily seen. Having the comparison is an excellent motivator, helping you not to lose sight of the overall goal.
5. Support
During the time you work on losing weight, you will need good support from family and friends. These should be people who love and care about you, those who also want you to succeed. During times of frustration or times when the weight is not moving, use your support system to get through. This too is an excellent way in which I motivate myself to lose weight.
6. No More Excuses
If you are serious about losing weight, you have to stop the excuses. This means stop saying that genetics have made you heavy, or you tend to hold a lot of fluid, or no matter what you do, you simply never drop any pounds. No more excuses. When you buy into failure, you will fail. Instead, remain optimistic, knowing that you will get where you want to be but it will take time and effort. Facing the truth about your weight is hard but necessary.
How to do
