The main reason why most diets or weight-loss programs don't work is simply because they're not sustainable. Starvation diets, low-carb diets, replacing food with shakes for main meals, the list goes on. None of these strategies offer long term, realistic and sustainable approaches to weight-loss.
Furthermore, the weight that is lost by using these approaches tends to be mainly water, stored carbohydrate and protein (lean body tissue) with some body fat. Our goal should be to maximise the amount of fat that is lost. In order to lose body fat instead of simply body weight, 3 criteria must be met:
1. A mild calorie (energy) deficit must be created.
2. The body must be encouraged to use stored fat as its primary fuel source.
3. Sufficient time must be allowed to pass in order to achieve substantial results.
Let's look at each of these areas in detail:
1. A mild calorie (energy) deficit must be created. This means the body expends (burns up) more energy each day than is consumed, i.e. 'energy out' is greater than 'energy in'. By creating a calorie (energy) deficit the body must then rely on existing fat stores in order to provide the additional calories it requires.
A mild calorie deficit can be achieved in two ways: eating less or boosting metabolism.
Eating less is the approach most diets use. Even though it is successful in the short term, the body soon adapts to it by slowing the metabolism and increasing appetite.
Boosting metabolism is a far more effective approach to losing weight and burning fat and it can be done through a variety of mechanisms. Increasing meal frequency (eating 5 meals a day instead of 3), eating foods that boost metabolism like chilli and curries, exercising and using supplements that boost metabolism like 'thermogenics' all assist fat burning in the body.
2. The body must be encouraged to use stored fat as its primary fuel source. This may be achieved by ensuring the level of insulin in the body is kept as low as possible. Insulin is a storage hormone, which means it increases the uptake of nutrients into cells. Whilst this may be beneficial from an anabolic (muscle building) perspective, insulin also promotes the storage of excess glucose as body fat. Worse still, it stops the mobilisation and utilisation of fat for fuel (fat burning).
There are many way to keep insulin low in the body. Eating small meals, controlling carbohydrate intake and using supplements like, glucose disposal agents (GDAs) all keep insulin low.
Eating large meals promotes greater insulin secretion by the pancreas. Therefore, small meals will keep this down.
Being aware of carbohydrate sources is also important because it is the macronutrient (carbohydrate, protein and fat) that has the greatest impact on insulin secretion. It is not necessary to follow a low carb diet in order to keep insulin low but by simply eating more low density carbs (broccoli, cauliflower, beans, peas, etc) and less high density carbs (bread, pasta, rice, cereals, etc) insulin will stay low.
GDAs assist the body in disposing glucose more effectively by increasing its uptake into the lean tissues of the body (muscles, organs, etc.).
3. Sufficient time must be allowed to pass in order to achieve substantial results. Since it takes time for the body to burn off body fat it is essential to allow sufficient time to pass rather than expecting dramatic results overnight!
If we estimate that a 300-calorie deficit won't have a major negative impact on our metabolism and if we assume that all of those calories that the body needs are derived from fat stores (which doesn't occur but for the sake of the argument we will assume that it does), then the body can only lose about 33 grams of fat a day! [1 gram of fat has 9 calories] That works out to be 231 grams of fat a week! This is a far cry from the several kilos of weight that may be lost in a week!
As a result of this, people must be realistic in their expectations. A good example of this is competitive bodybuilders who generally allow themselves 12-14 weeks to get ready for a show. These athletes are usually already lean by population standards but the 12-14-week period allows them to achieve extremely low levels of body fat without sacrificing their precious muscle tissue.
If you are serious about losing body fat, not just body weight, then allow yourself at least 12-14 weeks to achieve your physical goals.
Overall, these strategies are used by all successful weight-loss systems. They provide people with proven techniques and products that can help them lose weight and keep it off without having an impact on their lifestyle. Let's face it, there's nothing better than losing weight (which is mainly fat), getting in great shape and still being able to enjoy life!
Copyright (c) 2009 Stephen Smith
Weight Loss A Week
Most people want to lose weight as quickly as possible. However following this pattern almost always results in failure. Too many people seek the fastest solution to help them to lose weight,but fast solutions and weight loss do not go together. This is just wishful thinking,if you don't believe me ask people who are overweight how many times they have failed to lose weight. The truth is that quick weight loss is a gimmick. If this is not the case why are more and more people becoming overweight? People never learn and they will continue to jump from one quick fix to another, leading to one failure after another, until they just give up.
Unfortunately we live in a 'I want it now' society. Patience is no longer considered a virtue. This is true in our working lives and in our own personal lives. When it comes to losing weight people are not interested in what they are going to look like 12 months down the road. They want to look good now; they don't want to waste time in reaching their goals. People are prepared to purchase anything as long as that product is appealing to them and doesn't seem to involve too much work.
Too many products offer a dream scanario where people can lose all the weight they want by very little effort,completely ignoring the science behind weight loss. People believe the hype and any logic just seems to evaporate. This happens because the products appeal to your emotional senses and when that happens, logic becomes irrelevant. Now on the face of it many of these claims will sound wonderful to you, but unfortunately your body will not share this joy. Any sudden and drastic changes to your lifestyle will lead your body to fight you every step of the way. This is why after a short initial period of weight loss, any results you may have been getting will slow down to a crawl or more than likely stop completely. This is such a common story amongst people who try to lose weight.
There are two things I want to mention. Fact number 1 is that 1 pound of weight roughly consists of 3500 calories. Fact number 2 is that if you wanted to lose 30 pounds of weight within a one month period, then you would have to find a way to remove and burn 26500 calories a week from your current diet. This comes down to a loss of 35000 calories a day. No mean feat when you think that the average intake of calories for a woman is between 1800-2400 calories a day. It would mean a massive reduction in the food that you are eating and taking part in long periods of intensive exercise. Most people haven't the slightest idea of what the results of such changes would do to their well being?
The human body is a hugely complex entity. Not many people know that their bodies are actually large defence mechanisms. Its main role is to protect you and to keep you alive any way that it can. If it feels you need to be protected it will pull out all the stops,completely ignoring what you might want. Although your body is more than capable of change if done right,it likes continuity. If your life has been filled with no exercise and bad food for a long time,then this is the way that your body has got used to living.
When suddenly out of the blue you cut back heavily on the food that your body is used to receiving and impose a rigorous exercise program on it what do you think will happen? Your body will percieve these new changes as a threat,and will take action to counter this threat. It will go into starvation mode and this will lead it to hang onto all the calories it can. Because it is getting a lot less calories than it normally gets,it feels threatened and goes into starvation mode. This means it will do everything it can to hang onto any calories, simply because it thinks you must be starving.
Apart from this,because you jump into a new lifestyle so quickly,your mind will fight you on this because it hasn't come to terms with what you are trying to do. It will do this by sending you constant messages telling you that it is too hard, you cannot do this, let us go back to the way it was, and so on. This is why at some point you will have to give up. How can you succeed when both your mind and your body are fighting against you?
You must understand that your body will accept change more easily if that change comes in small steps.Your mind and body will not accept change if it is done overnight. As time goes on add more activity, but do it steps. Using this method allows the changes because it is in your body's abilities to do so.
So Time is the golden rule for weight loss, and remember that you are where you are today because of the choices that you have made. If you really want to lose weight then you have to change the methods that you have tried in the past.
Both Stephen Smith & Terry Sandhu 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.
Stephen Smith has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Health and Computers and The Internet. Stephen Smith is the part-owner of Body Concepts, an Australian supplement company, and Focus On, a health and lifestyle magazine. Stephen has been involved in the health and fitness industry for over 18 years and has a science degree from UWA.. Stephen Smith's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.
Terry Sandhu has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health, Fitness and Lose Weight. Download your copy of the Change your Mind Change your Body weight loss course at . Terry Sandhu's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.
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