Permanent Weight Loss: The Big Picture
As most people who read my articles and books know, I'm a scientist who loves to cite studies and use research in real-world situations, such as weight reduction and bodybuilding.
It's often necessary, though, to take a step back from the details and concentrate on the big picture to help others see the big picture again.
A diet that works most of the time for the majority of individuals reading this post must look as hard as nuclear physics to them. However, there are a wide variety of diets to choose from.
High or low fat intake? The choice is between a high-carbohydrate diet and a no-carbohydrate diet. Do you prefer a diet low in protein or one rich in protein? To further complicate things, the aforementioned diet situations may be found in an infinite number of variants and combinations.
>>> Click here to Get The Best Female Fat Burner Product <<<
Many individuals give up in frustration because it appears to go on forever. All of that is about to change in this piece, which I hope to accomplish.
It's possible to determine whether a diet program is good for you based on certain broad criteria, rules of thumb, and ways of viewing it.
You may not agree with everything I say, and you should have no illusions that this is some kind of fast cure or "drop 100 pounds in 20 days" advice.
For those who have had enough of being confused, having their weight come off just to be put back on, and wondering how to begin the process of determining which diet is best for them to achieve lasting weight loss, this article may be just what they need...
Is your diet "the test" compliant?
What, above all else, is the primary cause of diet failure over the long term? The primary cause is a lack of long-term compliance. The statistics don't lie: most individuals who lose weight gain it back, and often much more. Didn't you know that already?
As a result, what are you doing to prevent it? As a reminder, losing weight is as simple as following a diet that calls for you to "burn" more calories than you eat. This is the widely acknowledged "calories in, calories out" slogan.
In the short term, it doesn't matter what diet you choose: Atkins-style, carb-free, low-fat, high-carb, or any other; they all work to some extent.
If you want to lose weight rapidly, adopt one of these strategies and stick with it. You will, without a doubt, slim down. According to research, every commercial diet that is followed for six months to a year results in the same weight loss.
Studies comparing popular diets have shown the same results as other research. After a year of follow-up, the Atkins diet, the Ornish diet, Weight Watchers, and the Zone Diet were all shown to be almost identical in their capacity to help people lose weight.
Keep in mind what I've mentioned about the number one reason diets fail, which is lack of compliance. The study's principal researcher stated: We discovered that adherence to a diet, rather than the kind of diet, was the most important predictor of weight loss.
The capacity to adhere to a diet, not the diet itself, was the determining factor in whether or not they were able to lose weight. But will, there must be certain diets that are better than others, right? I can see the hands rising quickly. Is there a better way to eat than another? Absolutely.
>>> Click here to Get The Best Appetite Suppressant Product <<<
There are significant distinctions between diets, including which ones are better at maintaining lean body mass and which ones are better at suppressing hunger. But although the most popular diets may help you lose weight, following the diet for the long term is the most crucial factor in maintaining your weight loss.
To reduce weight, dieting is a short-term method to do it. For lasting weight reduction, lifestyle changes are necessary. To us, long-term weight control is more important than short-term weight reduction.
I dislike the word "diet" since it implies a quick fix rather than a long-term shift in eating habits. Is your goal to lose a large amount of weight quickly? Heck, I'll tell you exactly how to do it right now for free.
Eat 12 scrambled egg whites, a grapefruit, and a gallon of water twice a day for the next 90 to 120 days. You'll shed a lot of pounds. Is it safe for my health? Nope.
Will you be able to keep the weight off once you finish this diet and return to your "regular" eating habits? There's no way. The weight you lose will either be made up mostly of fat or a combination of fat, muscle, water, and bone. To summarize, there are a plethora of diets out there that might successfully help you shed pounds, but before you go on any diet, ask yourself:
"Is this a diet that I can stick to for the long haul?"
The "Can I eat that way for the rest of my life?" test comes to mind. Test. Despite its awkwardness, it accomplishes its intended purpose.
The lesson here is that whatever diet plan you choose to reduce weight must be part of a long-term lifestyle change that you can maintain. That is, if it's not a diet that you can stick to even after you reach your ideal weight, then it's of no use to you whatsoever.
The various fad diets you see out there are removed, so you don't have to be concerned about them. The real issue is not whether or not the diet works in the short term, but rather whether or not it can be maintained as a way of eating for the rest of one's life.
Returning to "your" eating habits after you've reached your goal weight is a sure way to fail and is the root of the well-documented yo-yo dieting condition. If you want to lose weight, you have to make a lifestyle change and stick with it. There are no shortcuts or freebies. People don't like to hear that, but it's the truth, no matter how you feel about it.
The numbers are clear: losing weight isn't the most difficult aspect; the most difficult part is keeping it off. There are several well-known fads and commercial diets out there, and they no longer have the attractiveness they once had if you are honest with yourself and use my criteria above.
This leads me to another example that clarifies things even further: which diet A or B is better to lose weight faster more healthily and sustainably? Which is superior? Which diet is superior when a diet loses 30 pounds in 30 days but at the end of the year the weight returns?
This essay and the lesson it teaches you are doomed to failure if you can't answer these questions. Reread this section if necessary. Diet B is the better choice by default.
If you give a guy a fishing pole, he'll come around...
It's a well-known Chinese saying that if you feed one guy for a day, you've fed him for a lifetime. You can feed a guy for the rest of his life by teaching him to fish.
This is a wonderful analogy for the next crucial stage in deciding which food plan to follow to permanently lose weight. Soup-feeding information or teaching long-term eating habits? That is the question you should ask yourself while adopting a diet. Is the diet going to be based on pre-packaged meals, such as bars, shakes, and supplements?
>>> Click here to Get The Best Male Fat Burner Product <<<
Now let's look at the differences between diets A and B once again. Your meals and snacks are going to be provided by Diet A, and they'll also inform you just when to consume them. You might expect to drop 30 pounds in two months.
It is the goal of Diet B to educate you on how to properly eat so that you can make well-informed choices about your diet, including how much food to consume, how many calories to eat, and why you should do so.
With Diet B, you'll lose 8–10 pounds each month for the next six months while also learning healthy eating habits that will help you keep the weight off in the future.
The Chinese proverb is a good one to remember. Weight loss may be achieved on both diets. After your experience with a diet is done, only one diet will teach you how to be self-reliant.
Diet A is certainly simpler and more effective than Diet B, but Diet B is more time-consuming and involves more effort on your part. When diet A is finished, however, you will be right back where you began and will have no ability to fish.
It's not about teaching you to fish; it's about delivering you a fish and making it impossible for you to go after it alone or return to it after you've regained all the weight you lost.
Because it allows you to succeed where previous diets have failed and gather the information you can use in the long run, diet B is better. Another diet you should avoid relies only on pre-packaged smoothies, bars, cookies, or other convenience items.
Diet: a diet promises weight loss by allowing you to eat their products for multiple meals followed by a "healthy supper," or programs that allow you to eat their special cookies for most meals in addition to their pre-planned menu.
It's easy to follow, yet doomed in the long run. When it comes to answering the question, "Can I eat this way for the rest of my life?” they all come up short. When it comes to long-term weight reduction, if you're using a dietary method that doesn't educate you on how to properly nourish your body—whether it's a book or an online course—then you should steer clear of it.
The connection that has been lacking in the quest for sustained weight reduction
Now, we're going to move on to a non-nutritional test that might help you pick a long-term weight reduction program. If you want to lose weight for good, you'll need to get moving. Long-term weight reduction requires regular physical activity.
Several diet regimens do not include an exercise component, which indicates that they are doomed to fail from the get-go. If you want to lose weight but don't have a strategy for exercise, you're like purchasing a vehicle or an aircraft without tires or wings.
Studies of people who have lost weight and kept it off have consistently shown that those who were consistent with their diet and activity routines were the ones who were most likely to maintain their weight loss.
For now, I'll just mention that regular exercise has been shown to increase metabolic rate and assist in maintaining lean body mass (LBM), both of which are critical to your health and metabolism. Regular exercise may also enable you to consume more calories while still maintaining a calorie deficit.
I don't have to list the many advantages of regular physical activity. If you're serious about losing weight and want to keep it off for the long term, you need to include regular physical activity in your weight loss plan.
In other words, it's possible to get rid of any weight-reduction program that doesn't provide you with guidance and support in this crucial aspect of long-term weight loss.
The following is a little tidbit on exercise:
Like diet regimens, not all forms of exercise are the same in terms of how effective they are at helping individuals lose weight.
For example, they'll focus on aerobics and neglect strength training. Resistance training is critical for fat reduction because it raises 24-hour energy expenditure while also building muscle which is crucial to your metabolism. It also provides additional health advantages beyond those provided by aerobic exercise.
>>> Click here to Get The Best Weight Loss Supplement <<<
Note to the reader: I stated fat loss, not weight loss, in the paragraph above. Because the word "weight loss" is a term that most people are familiar with, I use it throughout this text.
However, fat reduction, not weight loss, should be the primary objective of a well-designed diet and activity program. Weight reduction, which may entail the loss of muscle, water, and even bone in addition to fat, is the incorrect method.
This article does not include the methods I use to help people lose weight while still maintaining their vital lean body mass (LBM), which can be found in my eBooks. When trying to reduce FAT while preserving muscle, many factors, such as exercise type, intensity, and duration, are critical.
Long-term weight loss psychology: the basics
In many diet plans, the psychological part of why individuals fail to lose weight permanently is not addressed.
It is often overlooked that the psychological part of weight loss is the most critical to long-term success.
Studies comparing the traits of those who have lost weight and those who have gained it back have shown psychological differences between the former and the latter.
According to one study, obese women who lose weight but then gain it again are more likely to be depressed than obese women who have maintained their weight loss for at least a year or 20 women who have a stable weight in the healthy range.
I had a propensity to measure one's value in terms of one's weight and physical appearance.
I was unconcerned about weight control.
I had a dichotomous (black-and-white) way of thinking.
I was prone to using food to cope with negative emotions.
The findings of the scientists were:
According to the study's findings, there is evidence that psychological issues may explain why so many obese people gain weight after successful weight reduction.
Because this study focuses specifically on women, some of the issues that women face are highlighted.
According to other research on men and women, psychological traits such as having "unrealistic weight goals, poor coping or problem-solving abilities, and low self-efficacy" generally predict failure in long-term weight reduction.
Some of the psychological characteristics of people who have successfully maintained long-term weight loss include an internal motivation to lose weight, social support, better-coping strategies, the ability to handle life stress, self-efficacy, autonomy, taking responsibility in life, and overall more psychological strength and stability.
This section's primary purpose is to demonstrate that psychological factors play a significant part in deciding whether or not individuals succeed in long-term weight reduction. If you don't handle it as part of your entire strategy, it might be the difference between success and failure.
On the other hand, this is not something that most nutrition programs can or should attempt to fully address. However, the best programs tend to assist with motivation, goal-setting, and support.
Counseling, peer support groups, or other methods may be necessary if you identify with any of the above-mentioned categories that struggle to keep their weight under control over the long term.
Be realistic about your expectations and search for programs that give you tools to help you stay on track, such as support, goal planning, and resources to help you lose weight.
As the saying goes, "a sucker is born every minute."
Since when have you seen more honest information regarding the reality of long-term weight loss? Admit it: speaking the truth is not the ideal approach to promoting products such as protein powders or protein bars.
The creators of these items may swiftly find themselves in financial danger if everyone who read this post truly followed it and passed it on to millions of other people who followed it.
This article and I are unlikely to keep them up at night since they know "there's a sucker born every minute," so I doubt they'll be concerned.
As a result, here is a quick overview of everything you've learned: the big-picture facts of long-term weight reduction and how to evaluate a weight loss program to see whether it's right for you:
To lose weight permanently, one must commit to a new way of life that incorporates proper nutrition as well as regular physical activity.
To be able to make long-term diet decisions, you must first learn how to eat and be independent of the weight loss program you choose.
This means that your weight loss plan should not rely on commercial bars, smoothies, supplements, or pre-made meals for your long-term success.
>>> Click here to Get The Best Female Fat Burner Product <<<
An effective exercise component must be a part of the weight loss regimen you choose.
Weight reduction programs may assist with motivation, goal planning, and support, but they are not substitutes for psychiatric therapy.
Conclusion
This last part is where I'd want to make a few clarifications and extra remarks. To begin with, not everyone will benefit from the preceding guidance. Athletes like bodybuilders and others who benefit from major changes in their diet, including "off-season," "pre-contest," and so on, are not the target audience for this book.
Those who are on a special diet to treat or manage a medical condition should avoid reading this article. This essay is for you to help the typical individual get off the yo-yo diet roller coaster. Millions of people will be covered since that's probably 99 percent of the population.
To put it another way, this does not imply that you will be on a strict diet for the rest of your life. This means that even after you've reached your goal weight, you'll need to learn how to eat appropriately. Your new eating habits shouldn't drastically differ from the ones you used to lose weight in the first place.
Once you hit your goal weight or body fat percentage, you'll transition into a maintenance phase when you'll be able to eat more and enjoy treats like a piece of pizza.
The diet you used to gain weight is not the basis for a maintenance diet; rather, it is a natural extension of the one you used to lose weight.
>>> Click here to Get The Best Female Fat Burner Product <<<
Regardless of the program you choose, use the "big picture" strategy outlined above to help you maintain your weight loss goals over the long run. Please join me at the gym.