Your body weight is controlled by the number of calories you eat and the number of calories you use each day. So, to lose weight you need to take in fewer calories than you use. You can do this by becoming more physically active or by eating fewer calories.
There are many different weight loss diets and programs. They include do-it-yourself weight loss programs (aided by weight loss support groups), non-clinical weight loss programs incorporating their own weight loss diet plan, supervised clinical weight loss regimens and a wealth of online diet plans to choose from. In fact, the Internet offers a huge range of weight loss products, books, software, pharmaceuticals and weight loss supplements.
Sadly, many weight loss diet products may be ineffective or even carry health risks. To minimize health dangers and optimize weight loss, observe these precautions when seeking a solution to your weight problem.
Even modest rates of weight loss involve water loss. Approximately 25 percent of all weight lost is water. However, many diets and diet supplements make ridiculous weight loss claims - in some cases up to 20 pounds per week! Do not be seduced by this weight loss claims. All they offer is fast WATER loss. This water-weight loss will be regained very quickly and your health may be damaged. The most fat loss that the average body can sustain is about 2-3 pounds per week. The rest will be either water loss or a combination of muscle and water weight.
Physical activity increases the number of calories your body uses and promotes the loss of body fat instead of water, muscle and other nonfat tissue. Following a weight-loss program that helps you to become more physically active and decrease the amount of calories that you eat is most likely to lead to successful weight loss. Research shows that people who include physical activity in their weight-loss programs are more likely to keep their weight off than people who only change their diet.
The human body loses weight best when in good physical and mental health. Regular physical activity is important to help you lose weight and build an overall healthy lifestyle. In addition to promoting weight control, physical activity improves your strength and flexibility, lowers your risk of heart disease, helps control blood pressure and diabetes, can promote a sense of well-being, and can decrease stress.
The weight-loss program should also help you keep the weight off by making changes in your physical activity and eating habits that you will be able to follow for the rest of your life. Thus any fad diet or high protein diet is unlikely to be a viable weight loss option in the long term.
One of the reasons that people fail to maintain their weight loss is that they have unreasonable expectations of what will happen once they've lost weight. "When I lose these 40 lbs., I'll be happy, my spouse will like me more, work will be easier and the world will be a better place." When such expectations collapse, weight gain often follows.
Any type of physical activity you choose to do - vigorous activities such as running or aerobic dancing or moderate-intensity activities such as walking or household work - will increase the number of calories your body uses. The key to successful weight control and improved overall health is making physical activity a regular part of your daily routine.
Behavior change
focuses on learning eating and physical activity behaviors that will help
you lose weight and keep it off. The first step is to look at your eating
and physical activity habits, thus uncovering behaviors (such as TV watching)
that lead you to overeat or be inactive. Next you'll need to learn how to
change those behaviors.
One of the most popular myths about weight loss is that everyone who loses weight will eventually gain it back. The National Weight Control Registry is a research study which has exploded this myth and shown that successful weight loss is indeed possible. Developed by Rena Wing, PhD, at Lifespan, Brown University and the University of Pittsburgh, and James Hill, PhD, at the University of Colorado, the National Weight Control Registry has identified nearly 3,000 individuals who have lost significant amounts of weight and kept it off for long periods of time.
Three of the common characteristics of people who successfully maintain weight loss in the US National Weight Control Registry are as follows:
Getting support
from others is a good way to help you maintain your new eating and physical
activity habits. Changing your eating and physical activity behaviors increases
your chances of losing weight and keeping it off. For additional information
on behavior change, consult a weight-loss counselor or refer to books on this
topic, which are available in local libraries.
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