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People will try anything to lose weight. I know people who are having their stomachs for the most part sewn shut so that they can only eat a few ounces at a time. I have seen and been part of a whole industry of drugs for helping individuals find the "magic" solution to being the right weight. I have personally participated in the infamous diet known as "The Atkins Diet" that advocates eating very few carbohydrates and an abundance of protein and fats. Mostly I lament over the people making money from the obsession of losing weight and placing unsuspecting/trusting individuals in harms way, at the same time stealing their money by promising some talismanic cure to obesity. The answer to losing weight for the average healthy person seems so simple but is obfuscated by the self-appointed self-serving pseudo-intellectual weight loss gurus we see on late night infomercials. Here is the answer and you do not have to climb a mountain to find it…eat and exercise at a calorie deficit.
Eat less and exercise. I said this seemed simple, but not easy. The real trick is to understand and comply. To lose weight requires this proven magic formula, you must burn more calories than you take in, there is your magic formula in one sentence. There is literally an industry of books, gadgets and videos that tell you what kind of calories you should take in (low fat, low carbohydrate, high protein, high fat, eat in The Zone, eat for your body type, etc.) and most of you will own either one or several of these devices, books and/or gadgets. All of this is nonsense and pointless if you are still eating more calories than they burn.
One way to facilitate calorie burning is to take in fewer calories and exercise to augment the calorie burning process. Eat a balanced diet (Twinkies, cupcakes, and donuts are NOT part of any known food group) consisting of less calories than you are burning during the day and you will lose weight. The important message is that you need to eat less, not eat nothing. Losing weight slowly and safely is the toughest part in a society that wants instant gratification. You must eat so that your metabolism does not slow to the point where you are not burning enough calories to lose weight sending your metabolism into "starvation mode". If the body perceives a consistent large calorie deficit as a threat, it begins to store fat to combat the "famine conditions".
Accept that healthy and thin are not equal or go hand in hand. Does anyone think that someone who is anorexic is a good role model for a healthy look? Realize that genetics are a very important factor in this equation. If your Mother and Father were obese, you probably will be too, however that does not mean something cannot be done to change that vicious pattern and it does not mean you cannot live a healthy lifestyle which is inherent to a quality life. Just remember that simply because a food exists does not mean we are obligated to eat it. Really if you looked at it, there is no reason for a donut to exist, especially a chemical laden "low-fat" donut. Embrace yourself, get healthy, and throw away the over-the-counter diet drugs.
Caloric deficit is a proven technique that can transform your bodies and improve your fitness level over the long-term. Unfortunately many so-called weight loss strategies are really muscle loss strategies sending the body into a catabolic state. These include the severe restriction of carbohydrates (the Atkins diet, for example) and excessive training without proper post-exercise nutrition. Eating too much in the way of simple, processed carbohydrates (white flour, sugar) also kicks up insulin, which prevents fat burning until the insulin clears the system (which can take a while if your client has insulin regulation problems).
Yet many of us still eschew serious weight training even though experts insist it's necessary for optimal body composition. More muscle equals less body fat over time. A pound of muscle requires at least 35 calories a day to function; a pound of fat only needs one or two calories. You must understand when you build muscle, you boost your resting metabolic rate (RMR), so your bodies burn more calories, even when you are asleep.
Many weight loss diets and diet plans involving weight loss pills or supplements encourage very fast weight loss, often in excess of three to four pounds per week. This is both unhealthy and ineffective. The average healthy human body simply will not shed more than about two pounds of fat, per week. But it will shed water, which is what most fast weight loss is … WATER LOSS!
If your goal is fat loss, the scale is an extremely poor tool for measuring progress, particularly when you are doing any kind of weight training. Also, there is so much variation in water retention and digestive contents that you really cannot get a useful reading until your fat loss is significant as a percentage of their body weight. The mirror is another poor measuring tool.
Fat never spot-reduces. It comes off in proportion to the existing fat layer. Usually, the shoulders and upper body are the first to show visual improvement, since these are the areas where the fat layer is thinnest. "Problem areas" are virtually never the first to show improvement. But the progress will come if you are dedicated, motivated and will not give up.
A complete program includes resistance training, aerobic training, interval training (get winded and recover, get winded and recover and so on …), cross training (alternating two different exercises on different days, e.g. treadmill and exercise cycle), small frequent meals (5-6 small meals per day; or a meal every two hours) containing high-quality protein and carbohydrate, and low-glycemic nutrition (avoid a lot of refined sugar, white flour, and highly processed carbs - focus on carbs that exist in nature). Proper supplementation, particularly post-workout whey protein or Leucine, is helpful. Lots of water and sufficient rest are also a must.
For the first few weeks, write down everything you eat - you'll learn a lot about yourself, otherwise your daily estimates may not even be close. If you follow roughly the same meal plan every week, it is definitely worth the effort to carefully and honestly estimate the calories of your usual meals using a measuring cup and an inexpensive food scale (I tell my clients to purchase a simple postage scale). If you do this even once, you will find that it's much easier to track your daily intake accurately.
If you want to lose body fat, a useful guideline for lowering their calorie intake is to reduce your calories by at least 500 kcal, but not more than 1000 kcal below your maintenance level. For people with only a small amount of weight to lose, 1000 kcal will be too much of a deficit. As a guide to minimum calorie intake, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that calorie levels never drop below 1200 calories per day for women or 1800 kcal per day for men. Even these calorie levels are quite low.
There are approximately 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat. So, if you have a 3500-calorie deficit through diet, exercise or a combination of both, you will lose one pound of body weight. If you create a 7000 calorie deficit, you will lose two pounds and so on.
The calorie deficit can be achieved either by calorie-restriction alone, or by a combination of fewer calories-in (diet) and more calories-out (exercise). This combination of diet and exercise is best for lasting weight loss. Indeed, sustained weight loss is difficult or impossible without increased regular exercise.
The basic premise is that whatever activity level you might be at, increase it within reasonable limits. If you are a couch potato, start by walking around the block on a regular basis as part of your exercise regimen. For a weight-loss workout, choose an activity or activities that you enjoy. Options like walking, bicycling, aerobic dancing, stair climbing, golf, tennis, jogging, and swimming are all great. Walking is a good option for many people, and it's inexpensive and readily available to most and does not place a lot of stress on their joints. When exercising, increase slowly and gently and try to do enjoyable things because this is a total lifestyle change and not some fad.
The pivotal trait for success? Consistency. Weight loss is best achieved by making long-term changes in diet and exercise that become part of a healthy lifestyle. Small changes that cause few disruptions in life are more sustainable and more likely to help you keep those unwanted pounds from returning home to roost and you will have only yourself to blame for the weight gain.
In addition, adding resistance training will help maintain the metabolic rate as discussed in earlier paragraphs. A simple weight lifting program two to three times a week should make a world of difference aesthetically and psychologically to encourage further weight loss. Exercise also improves self-esteem, which may help you stick with your healthy lifestyle habits. Finally, physical activity helps you feel better regardless of how much weight you lose.
To burn more calories, those who currently exercise three days a week should try adding a fourth day, exercising longer each day, or doing both. In addition to your planned daily exercise and healthy diet, you can lose extra pounds by adding more physical activity in general to their daily lifestyle, for instance by taking the stairs instead of the elevator; and walking to the store around the corner instead of driving.
Here is a checklist of things that can be done:
1. Replace "full"-calorie food with low-calorie options (skim milk vs. whole milk, low-calorie dressing vs. high-calorie dressing)
2. Replace high-calorie condiments with low-calorie choices (mustard instead of mayonnaise, salsa instead of cream-based sauces)
3. Choose small servings (large portions may contain twice the calories)
4. Eat "slow-down" foods (for example, an orange instead of orange juice)
5. Drink lots of water.
6. Follow a daily food plan (impulsive choices tend to be high in calories)
In short, get active and eat healthfully. The foregoing is the secret formula for weight loss which is really not a secret at all. By counting calories every day, you can expect to achieve effective long-term results. Exercise, like a healthy diet, is a lifestyle adaptation that should persist throughout life.
Disclaimer -- I do not recommend undertaking any new exercise or diet program without getting solid medical advice from a trained professional. While what I am going to tell you will probably come under the heading of "common sense", if you know or even suspect you have some unique health circumstance, talk to your Doctor first.
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I have had people be down on me for "only" losing 20lbs in 1 year. They say I should have lost more because that was only 1.7 lbs. a month. But really, I measure it in terms of not gaining 10 and not maintaining, but actually losing with out feeling like I am overdoing the "diet." I've made real changes in eating habits and lifestyle that don't come out of some book. Let's face it, we have to work out 3-5 times a weeks. We have to cut calories just a little each day. If you eat just 100 calories extra a day you gain 10 lbs in a year. No wonder so many people don't know how they gained it! No, you are not allowed to say it's genetic.
- DD
Perhaps we can't claim "genetics" with weight gain; however hormones do play a huge part. After having my ovaries removed last year I've gained 20 lbs, although my diet has remained the same and I've upped my exercise regimen two-fold. I can't take estrogen due to the already having breast cancer. Bottom line is cutting calories and increasing exericse isn't always the key....
- Shirley