Ask a hundred people what they would most like to change about their body, and most will express a desire to be losing weight. Being overweight and obesity are now key concerns for much of the developed world. To lose the weight we can try weight loss products, fitness retreats, new trainers and another gym membership. With hectic lives, dominated by gadgets and technology, it is all too easy to pile on the pounds.
Losing it
Losing those pounds, however, is quite a different matter. It seems that every day sees the launch of a new ‘miracle’ diet book, but if they all work, why write more? If there was a ‘quick fix’, surely everybody would know about it by now?
The truth about losing weight
In fact, the science behind losing weight is quite simple – anybody who puts less energy into their body than they expend, will lose weight. That energy is measured in calories, so the fewer calories taken in as food or drink, and the more used up through exercise and activity, the better.
While this might sound easy, however, it is not, hence the endless sales of diet books. It is very easy, in the 21st century, to eat badly. Fast food and low calorie meal replacements offer genuine convenience, and it is important not to overlook that. People tend not to eat these things merely through greed, but rather because modern life is so hectic.
The same is true of exercise. Many people resolve to cycle, walk or even run more often, but factor in a full time job, family responsibilities and the stresses and strains of daily life, and it can be very easy to lose motivation.
Get to it!
The fact is that anybody who wants to lose weight in the long term has no choice but to commit to a permanent lifestyle change. That means eating more healthily (less fat and sugar, more fruit and vegetables) and exercising more often (that means actually doing it, not just resolving to do it!).
It is important to note the difference between eating healthily and simply eating less. Eating healthily does not necessarily mean eating less, indeed it may mean the opposite. Think how many oranges or tomatoes would be needed to equal the calorific value of a can of soda. Merely cutting back on food, especially when the diet is already poor, can lead to all sorts of vitamin deficiencies (the results of which can include fatigue, slowing of mental function, hair loss and skin problems) and long term damage to health.
Healthy changes, however, must be permanent changes. If they are not, there is a danger of falling into a pattern of yo-yo dieting, which is extremely hazardous. In some cases, in fact, yo-yo dieting can be more unhealthy than carrying a little excess weight.
Diet aids
While many associate the idea of ‘diet aids’ with dubious pills and food replacements, there is a range of perfectly natural, gentle dietary supplements that can really help those who want to live more healthily in the long term. Supplements such as multivitamins, herbal tonics and Garcinia Cambogia can help with feelings of hunger or fatigue that may occur while making the change from an unhealthy reliance on fast foods and sugar hits, to a more health-promoting and natural lifestyle.
So the bottom line, is you need to make the decision that works for you and is right for you. Good luck!