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THE "SECRET" REVEALED

By Babe Mooney

“I want to lose 50 pounds, no I’m going to lose it, I’m determined, no more screwing around, no more excuses, this time will be different, this time I will stick with it.”

How many times have you heard those same words come out of your mouth? Unfortunately, if you’re like 90% of all Americans you have said that sentence way too many times right before you head into your next diet. Like most people, 2 weeks (or 2 days) later you have once again given up and you feel like a failure.

Well you did fail, but it is because you are on the road to failure. On the “diet road” there is no success. If you got on the road to success and learned what to do differently maybe you could succeed.

In case you haven’t already heard, let me tell you what is wrong with dieting and let’s see if I can convince you to get off that road and onto my road. Now bear with me, you will feel like you’re back in school for a minute.

If we take a VERY simplistic view of your body make up we will see water, bone, muscle, and fat, (for this lesson we will skip ligaments, organs, etc., and all the much needed rest).

Think of your body as a machine, the car is most commonly used. Your body needs fuel (food) as a car needs gas. If you put in poor gas your car will run poorly and of course the same is true with your body. I know this all sounds so very simplistic and it is, but it is the foundation needed for change, so continue on down this road just a bit further, please. If you car is out of gas it will not run, like wise if you do not put food in your body it will not move…. Oh, wait a minute that’s not true. You can skip meals, you can fast for days and yet, unlike your car, your body still moves. Unlike your car, your body has a built in protection storage system. Your body stores food for those lean (famine) times, that store is called fat. Nice to know that fat has a purpose, huh? Well, it actually has several, but let’s not get off track. If you eat more food than you can burn in a day the body stores it as fat. So to lose weight you need eat less food than you need; hence, the diet. is born. So why doesn’t it work? Ok now this is important, pay attention; every time you diet you lose some fat, but you also lose muscle. The type of diet and time on it will tell how much of each you lose. So you say big deal if I lose muscle who cares as long as I lose fat, too. Well, you need to care. Let’s get back to school; it is the muscle that helps your body burn the fat. More muscle equals higher metabolism, higher metabolism equals more fat burned. So if I say less muscle you should say “less ability to burn fat, oh no not good”. So you lose the weight on the diet, but in the process you lose the muscle (lowering your metabolism) and you end your diet going back to a more realistic caloric intake. With a lower metabolism, it is a given that you will gain all the fat (plus 5% ) back within one year. Additionally, each time you try to lose that weight again it will be harder because you have less muscle (lower metabolism).

So here is the secret, I bet you thought I would never get to it.

Reduce your calorie intake by no more than 500 calories per day, add 30 minutes aerobic exercise 3-5 days per week (biking, treadmill, walking, running) and add to your life weight training, to build muscle. Lift weights! Yep that’s what I said. Oh you are a female and you don’t want to look like one of those bodybuilders. Don’t worry, females have to work extra, extra hard to look like that and still most women can’t get there. You get on this road and practice the “Secret” of building muscle and you will be able to maintain your weight for life without dieting. I know you don’t believe me, but talk with a certified personal trainer, talk to a lot of them and look at their clients. I’m not lying, this is the best advice anyone will every give you. What do you have to lose, except those 50 pounds for one last time?

About the Author:

Babe Mooney is the owner of Fitness Together Arden Arcade in Sacramento, Ca. and is the feature writer for Health and Fitness Sacramento. Her website is http://www.ftardenarcade.com