How To Lose Weight
Three Principles of Weight Loss
There are three principles that you need to keep in mind when trying to lose weight. For weight loss success you need to pay attention to all three. They are:
Read more about these three topics to help you learn the basics of weight loss. These strategies will help you lose the weight … and keep it off for good.
Weight Loss vs. Fat Loss
When we talk about weight loss, most of us really mean we want to lose fat. Our “weight” consists of muscle, bone, water, and vital organs as well as fat. Obviously we would like to burn fat but keep our muscle and other essential parts. When we lose weight too fast, we are losing valuable muscle and even bone. Muscle burns 70 times more calories than fat. So, muscle loss = metabolism slow down. Once you lose muscle, it takes a lot of work to try to regain it.
The Tortoise and the Hare
Remember the famous Aesop’s fable about the tortoise and the hare? The lesson applies to weight loss too. Slow and steady wins the race. The tortoise always wins. Consistent effort, applied in the right way, will pay off so that you will attain a lean, strong body.
Measuring Progress
If you weigh yourself frequently, you may realize that your weight will fluctuate from day to day, even hour to hour. Water and muscle tissue weigh a lot more than fat. A change in your weight from one day to the next will occur, due mostly to a shift in fluid. You can monitor your progress in other ways, such as how well your clothes fit, a change in waist or hip size (use tape measure), or just looking in the mirror. The most accurate method of determining fat loss is by measuring body fat percentage. You can do this at home with skin-fold calipers or a body composition bioelectric impedence scale.
Choosing a Weight Loss Plan or Program
Many of you may be feeling overwhelmed by all of the choice of diets and programs available. Hundreds of books have been written about weight loss in the last few years. Many are helpful, but not all plans work for everyone. It is useful to have a strategy for weight loss. You may also be more likely to succeed if you have a helping hand by joining a program.
Just starving yourself or skipping meals doesn’t work. If you try that route, you will find that your body will try to outsmart you. Your weight loss will slow down and you will be tired and miserable. However, there are healthy and smart ways to lose weight. Read our Basics and our Secrets. Follow our blog. Gain knowledge – how to eat, how to exercise, what works, what doesn’t work and what is downright dangerous. We hope to support you in your weight loss efforts.
Find the Program that Works for You
There are many programs that work. But some programs may work better for you. You need to learn the basics, evaluate the options, then choose a strategy that fits. You will achieve more success – and better health – when you find a program that works for your body type, tastes, and lifestyle.
Consider an Online Weight Loss Program
There are a number of popular weight loss programs out there. Many are available online for a nominal monthly fee. Do they work? Yes, according to a recent research study published in the March 7, 2001 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Asosciation (JAMA). The study compared an on-line diet and behavioral therapy intervention program, including weekly email contact, to another group that simply viewed educational websites. Although both dieting groups lost weight, the group that used a structured program of online support lost twice as much. They were able to maintain this weight loss over the 6-month study period.
Read our site for reviews of online weight loss programs, diet programs, home-delivered diets, exercise programs, and books. Learn our Weight Loss Secrets. Be sure to study our Basics. Increase your knowledge, stay motivated, and keep on track to meet your weight loss goals.