A calorie is a calorie. Eat too many... gain weight. Eat fewer calories... lose weight. Not so complicated, right? Wrong, for those who believe weight loss is more than a calorie equation. Everywhere you turn there are so-called new-and-improved ways to lose weight. Americans spend $33 billion annually on weight loss foods, products and services, according to the American Dietetic Association. With that amount of spending, it's no surprise there are an overwhelming number of "fad" diets and other weight-loss products on the market.The reason for this is very simple; each person has their own metabolism. Metabolism controls how our body processes the food we eat. Some people's bodies' process sugars well while others don't process sugars at all. Your friend Bill may be able to eat whatever he wants and never gain an ounce while you look at a piece of pie and gain 3 pounds. It is all a matter of metabolism and the problem is that there isn't anything you can do about changing metabolism. It is what it is.So that being said, what you need to do is find what works for you. If the Atkins diet is up your alley, go for it. If limiting carbs is good for you, go for it. If the best fit for you is eating lots of salads and no sweets, go for it.You just need to find the method that works for you personally. Keep in mind that each person will be different and results will vary accordingly.What I can tell you from experience is this: whatever you do, you need to strike a balance of healthy eating habits and physical exercise. I learned this from a dietician who gave class on this subject at work. What she says is that as long as you burn more calories than you take in, the weight will come off. This is a proven scientific fact and she was able to back it up.The plan was simple:1. Watch the foods you eat. Stay with fruits, vegetables and low gluten (sugar) foods.2. Learn to snack healthy. Stay away from candy bars, potato chips and cookies. Low sugar granola bars, fresh fruit and, believe it or not, dry unsweetened cereal like Cheerios.3. Log your food / calorie intake every day. Keep a log of each meal. There was a listing of foods and their calorie content. As we logged the meal, we would tally up the calories.4. Get some physical activity. Walking is the number one exercise for healthy weight loss. It gets the body moving, works every muscle group and provides a good cardiovascular effect as well.5. Aside from walking there were lots of other activities available. How do I reduce fat? * Use minimal amounts when preparing food. If you must use oil then use a little olive or canola oil. * Limit mayonnaise and salad dressings. * Use low fat dairy products. * Trim the fat off your meat before cooking.What is the best way to lose weight'A healthy diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat dairy products, along with regular physical activity, can help most people manage and maintain weight loss for both cardiovascular health and appearance. The American Heart Association urges people to take a safe and proven route to losing and maintaining weight �" by following our guidelines for healthy, nutritionally balanced weight loss for a lifetime of good health.
The problem with many diet and weight loss plans is that they take a one-size-fits-all approach that simply might not work for everyone. That's why the same diet that you friend might swear by may not work nearly as well for you. Actually, looking at it logically, this is hardly surprising ? everyone's metabolism and, even more importantly, everyone's habits are different. That's why it makes sense to have a diet and weight loss plan designed specifically for you.
This is an idea that's rapidly catching on. Companies such as L.A. Weight Loss and several others are taking on the challenge of designing personal weight loss plans for each of their clients. After all, everyone's reasons for being overweight are different. For the most part, being overweight is based on bad habits. Some of us have the habit of eating late at night, while others are addicted to sweets or to fried food. You can try and eliminate the behavior, or course ? but most often, that's easier said than done.
A better approach might be to work around the behavior that is impeding your weight loss. For example, if you are one of those people who just can't go without dessert, you will do better if your weight loss plan includes a daily dose of sweets. There are many low fat, fruit based desserts that you can have without ruining your diet, or if you really crave a decadent dessert, you can cut calories elsewhere or up your exercise to make up for it. You are less likely to cheat and more likely to be successful with your diet if these habits can be integrated in your diet plan ? and most of the time, they can.
Here's another example: we've all heard about how successful the low-carb approach to eating can be for some people. By upping their intake of protein and eliminating all processed carbohydrates such as bread and pasta, many people have had spectacular results. However, if bread and pasta happen to be your favorite foods of all ? if you were raised with them and can't picture living without them ? you have little chance of being successful on a low carb diet such as the Zone or Atkins. You would do better, most likely, if you can eat small amounts of the foods you love every day.
Finally, there are some people who are overweight because they ?graze? all day long rather than sitting down to regular meals at regular times. This can be one of the most destructive eating habits of all, because it makes it very difficult to measure or keep track of how much food you are actually consuming. If those are your habits, your chances of being successful on any diet plan that restricts you to just three meals a day are quite low. You'll constantly be wanting to snack, and you need a diet plan that allows you to do that. In fact, some dieticians feel that it's better to eat many smaller meals a day rather than a few large ones. If you have an organized approach to your snacking, there's no reason why you can't maintain these habits but change the types or amounts of food you eat for maximum weight loss.
In short, the personalized approach to dieting and weight loss makes sense because everyone is different, and everyone has different obstacles to overcome. When you buy a diet book, though, chances are that you will learn about a one-size-fits-all type of dieting. If you go to one of the many centers that offers personalized diet plans, however, they will be able to design a plan for you that works with your eating style and habits, rather than against it. Combined with personalized counseling and regular weigh-ins, this approach to dieting has been very successful for many people. It's easier to minimize the harmful elements in our habits than it is to do away with the habits themselves.
That having been said, it's also important to have an organized, well laid out plan that you can follow. Many weight problems occur precisely because people don't tend to have an organized approach to eating. When your plan is easy to follow and you have access to great advice in a supportive environment, chances are that you will be able to take off that weight!
Both Ricky Hussey & Michael Bens are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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