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Weight Loss and Fad Diets

By Brad Scott

You see them all the time; they suck you in with promises of major weight loss in a very short amount of time. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Why do we keep falling for those commercials that promise weight loss of 142 pounds in 1 month? Because we want results and we want them now.

Did you go to bed last night and wake up this morning 50 pounds overweight. You did not, that is why it is called chronic obesity. Chronic means developed over time. It took you a while to gain the weight and it will take a while to lose it. So don't be in a big rush. Plus the long term benefits are much better.

By slowly training yourself to eat properly, you develop a major lifestyle change. If you use a new fad type diet to loose 20 pounds in 4 weeks, and return to your normal routine after the 4 weeks are done, you tend to return to the same weight. So you return to your fad diet, and create the yo-yo effect. By taking your time and loosing the 20 pounds over 10-12 weeks, you have learned a new lifestyle and you are less likely to return to old habits.

Also, with slow deliberate weight loss your body learns. The body is a wonderful machine. Take a moment and think about everything it does for you, it's amazing. Right now as you are reading this article, are you thinking about breathing? Are you purposefully making your heart beat? Could you stop it if you tried? Along with these elements, the body also controls your weight. When there are fast hard changes, such as in a fad diet, the body tends to remember the past and return to what it considers normal. Try this experiment: Hold your breath for 20-30 seconds then release. Your first few breathes will be heavy and then you will return to normal breathing effortlessly. This is the way your body responds to a fad diet on which you lose a lot of weight quickly. Your body will return to its normal weight.

Slow changes allow your body to 'learn' the new normal weight. Effective weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week and a pound of fat is 3500 calories. You can achieve you weight loss by adjusting you weekly habits by 7000 calories. This does not mean you have to stop eating. Suppose you do not exercise at all now. By beginning a moderate exercise program you can burn 7000 calories per week. If you are already on a regular exercise program, you can increase the intensity and slightly reduce your food intake. Again, you want to make slow deliberate changes.

If you are a beginner, try this fat loss program. Start by exercising just 1 day per week and eating just 1 healthy meal per day, and leave everything else the same. Next week exercise twice per week and eat 2 healthy meals per day. Follow this slow progression and by week 5 you are exercising 5 days per week and eating 5 healthy meals per day. And you did not have to make drastic changes to your lifestyle. Continue this regimen of 5 and 5 until it becomes routine. By week 8 your new 'normal' probably doesn't even seem like such a big leap. You are exercising regularly, eating well and you have noticed changes in your appearance and energy levels. Other people you know tell you that something is different about you. In the end, if you learn proper nutrition and your body learns weight regulation, you succeed in looking and feeling your best.

Live for the Moment.....Exercise for Life

About the Author:

Brad Scott is Owner and President of Sport and Life Fitness in Melbourne Florida. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and is a Certified Fitness Trainer and Specialist in Sports Conditioning with the International Sports Sciences Association. With over 20 years of experience, Brad offers a wide variety of fitness solutions for most anyone. Visit him online at www.SportAndLifeFitness.com today and start your fitness journey.