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Obesity is now being called an epidemic in the health community. In fact, it will soon be the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, even ahead of cigarette smoking. Obesity leads to two types of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke and even an increased risk of cancer. With all of these health risks, as well as the general improvement in the quality of life that can occur, losing weight is one of the best things that you can do for yourself.

No matter what we would like to believe, there simply isn’t a magic solution to losing weight. The body will shed excess fat when it needs more calories to function through the demands you place on it in a given day than the amount of calories that you feed it. It’s that simple. So, in order to lose weight, you need to decrease the number of calories that you eat as well as increase the amount that you burn.

There is a wide range of options to choose from when looking for a weight loss program. All of them often spend a lot of time explaining what to eat, in what amounts and even at what times or in what combinations. But few of them emphasize the importance of exercise – not just for losing weight, but for your general health and wellbeing. Exercise is vital when trying to lose weight for several reasons:

First, as you start to eat less, your metabolism will slow down somewhat. Exercising helps to elevate your metabolism back to an efficient level. Second, as mentioned, exercise burns more calories that you can lose weight faster and stay motivated in your efforts. Third, exercise actually releases endorphins, chemicals that keep your mood elevated.

Exercise doesn’t have to mean spending hours at the gym or straining through exhausting workouts. In fact, in order for you to stick with it on the long run, exercising should be something that you enjoy. Start by increasing your activity level in an overall way. Take the stairs when you can. Park further from the mall door when you go shopping. Go for a walk in the park or through a neighborhood you love and bring a dog or a friend along for company. Take dance or martial arts lessons.

Once you become more active in general, you’ll find it easier and more natural to move into regular exercise. Which you’ll need to do eventually in order to get regular, noticeable health benefits. You need to raise your heart rate to a fat burning level and keep it there for at least 20 minutes, 3 times or more a week. However, if you don’t want to go to a gym, there are other options. Videos and DVDs are now available in all kinds of exercise types. That way you can change your routine whenever you want so that you don’t get bored with what you’re doing. Try a range of aerobics, kickboxing, yoga, or pretty much any activity you want right in the comfort of your own home.

If you have physical limitations that would keep you off from exercising, you can still find a way to increase your activity level. Water aerobics is a wonderful option for those who have joint problems or limited mobility because it relieves the pressure on your body that your weight provides. But you still get the resistance to challenge your muscles from the water. There are even classes and videos available that let you exercise in a seated position.

Whatever kind of exercise you choose, it’s important to stay motivated and keep it fun. Try gathering a group together to make it a social event. Or get a pedometer, a device that tracks how far you walk, and see how many miles you can walk a week. Make a competition amongst your friends or family members and treat the winner with something special (not food related!). Make the experience of exercising something that you look forward to, and it will soon become a regular part of your healthier lifestyle.

Popularity: 2% [?]

As the old year comes to a close and everyone begins to look forward to the beginning of a New Year, many people are also anticipating the beginning of their New Year’s resolutions. For numerous individuals, New Year’s resolutions will involve vows to cut back on their food intake, get on a diet and exercise regimen and drop at least a few pounds. The question that hangs in the air for those who are anticipating the start of a new diet lies in exactly which diet might happen to be right for them and which diet holds the key to helping them lose the most weight.

Certainly, there are numerous diets available and it seems like every few months a new diet or eating plan has emerged to become the new successful diet rage. Is it possible that all the ‘popular’ diets can help you lose weight or are there certain diets that can help you lose more weight than others?

This is the question that a group of researchers set out to answer recently. Over a period of two months, 160 individuals were monitored closely as they followed a supervised program. The varying factor among all 160 program participants was that they were allowed to choose whichever diet suited their fancy. Researchers waited and watched in anticipation to learn which diet or diets would prove to be most successful.

What they learned at the conclusion of the study proved to be quite interesting. The data they collected not only helped them to learn more about which diet programs tend to be more successful in terms of total weight loss but also which diet programs more individuals were more likely to stick with for long term weight loss and maintenance.

While the study participants were allowed to choose their favorite diet plan, most participants opted for one of the following: Atkins, Weight Loss, Ornish and the Zone. Even though initial data was conducted after just two months, researchers continued to study the remaining participants. They discovered that after a period of time more than half of those participants who opted for diet plans that focused on low carbs and high fat, such as the Atkins plan, dropped out. Additionally, approximately the same percentage of individuals who chose the Ornish plan, which focuses on low fat and high carb vegetarian foods, also quit their diets. Weight Watchers participants fared moderately better, with about two-thirds of that group’s participants sticking with it. The Zone participants showed similar results.

So, which diet plans performed best overall in terms of total weight loss? Surprisingly, they all performed about the same. Those individuals participating in the Ornish plan who were able to stick with their diet for the entire year achieved a weight loss rate of about 6%; the highest of all groups. Atkins came in at about 4%, with Weight Watchers and the Zone performing at an average of 5% weight loss. Health risk factors related to obesity were an entirely different matter; however. In terms of heart disease risk, Weight Watchers participants decreased their risk by 15%, while other diet plans hovered in the 12% range. The Ornish diet plan participants, who showed a higher overall weight loss, showed a lower decrease in risk of heart disease, at just 7%.

Overall; however, researchers concluded that in the end, there is no one magic diet. If you’re planning to resolve to lose weight in the New Year, your best strategy is still the same regardless of which diet plan you ultimately choose. Eat sensibly, cut back on portions, drink plenty of water, participate in a moderate exercise routine and find a diet buddy to support you in your weight loss goals.

Popularity: 45% [?]

Jennifer, a middle-aged single mother with one six-year-old daughter, has been skipping sweets for a few weeks now. She’s also become a stickler for portion control. She feels as if she’s eating less than ever, and she’s been diligently exercising for an hour at a time at least four days a week. Yet, she hasn’t lost a single pound. The question is, “Why?”

This is a dilemma which affects dieters the world over. They think they are taking the steps necessary to lose weight, but nothing seems to be happening. In essence, they are trapped in a dieting rut and they don’t know how to free themselves. As a result, they become frustrated and depressed and may then engage in binge eating.

One of the problems with diets is that they are often standardized. As a result, they don’t take into consideration your individual physiology and metabolism. They provide a cookie-cutter approach to weight loss—an approach which may not work in your individual case. As a result, an increasing number of people are turning to dieticians to formulate a person weight loss strategy for them. This process has been made easier through the Internet, where you can correspond with a dietician any time of the day or night via e-mail. The dietician can also act as your personal coach, helping you through your dieting dilemmas.

Another reason that you may be failing at your diet is because of a lack of support. You may have family members who can eat whatever they want and seemingly not gain a pound. As a result, they may fill your refrigerator with junk food, leading you into temptation. Also, you may feel as if you have no one to turn to in order to discuss your weight problems. In order to solve this problem, many individuals look to psychotherapists to help them with their food-related issues. This can be particularly important if an individual has turned to purging in an effort to combat their weight problems. Bulimia is a serious disease which must be treated in order to ensure the good health of the patient. Thankfully, there are a number of treatment programs throughout the U.S. specifically focusing on bulimia.

Yet another reason for diet failure is hidden calories. You may literally be consuming calories and not even realize it. For instance, the frappucinos that are so popular today are loaded with calories—as many as 600 in a single serving! You may also be indulging in sugary sodas—another source of extra calories. By taking a few simple steps, such as eliminating the exotic coffee drinks from your diet and substituting skim milk for whole milk, you may be able to eliminate the hidden calories that are denying you dieting success.

Lack of consistency can also be a diet-killer. You might go on a diet for a while, then quit before you’ve made any measurable progress. It’s only natural to want to see quick results. The problem is that healthy weight loss involves losing only a couple of pounds a week. That means you’ll have to stay on your diet for months before you see appreciable weight loss. Discouraging? It can be, but if you keep a positive attitude you can achieve your ideal weight.

You may also be more successful in your dieting if you consider it to be a lifestyle change. Therefore, your diet becomes a meal plan for life. This means that you must change the way you look at food. It is designed to be fuel for your body, and nothing more. As a result, you should not turn to food to make you feel better or to provide you with a sense of comfort. A lifestyle change implies commitment; it means that you are prepared to follow the plan for the long haul. If you feel as if you cannot be on your diet for any appreciable length of time, perhaps it’s time to consider a different diet. Your aim ultimately should be not simply to lose weight, but to become healthier. A fad diet will not allow you to reach that milestone. Therefore, you must choose your diet carefully.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Many people set out to lose weight with good intentions of sticking it out until they reach their goals. In fact, they intend to lose those unwanted extra pounds for good without ever seeing them again. So then, why is it that so many people lose weight only to gain it all back again? And why is it that so many people get frustrated and quit trying before they even lose any weight?

One big mistake that dieters make is assuming that certain foods can be eaten in high quantities such as fat-free foods. It needs to be understood that just because a food is fat-free doesn’t mean it is calorie free. When you consume more calories than you use, you will gain, not lose, weight.

Another mistake that is made by dieters is expecting too much too soon. When you come to the conclusion that you want to lose 30 pounds, this is a realistic goal. When you decide that you want to lose those 30 pounds in one month, this is not a realistic goal. Maybe your 25th high school reunion is coming up and you want to be able to fit into that dress or suit you wore 25 years ago.

Not eating enough is yet another common mistake dieters make. The fact is, if you eat too little calories, your metabolism will slow down and you will go into what is known as “starvation mode”. This promotes major fat conservation for survival purposes and any weight loss will therefore come from the breakdown of muscle tissue, not fat! For the average adult female, it is not recommended to consume below 1000 calories and the average adult male should not consume below 1200 calories unless under the direction of their doctor.

One of the biggest mistakes dieters make by far is not planning for how to keep their weight down once they lose it. Often, people make the mistake of going on a “miracle” diet that promises super weight loss and although these types of diets are very dangerous and I absolutely do not recommend them, some people actually do lose weight on them. The problem is, these types of diets are designed to end at some point (which is a good thing since you would probably make it into the obituaries with a prolonged stay on these diets). That means that you would likely resume your old habits when it’s over thus accounting for the returning of all the weight you lost on the diet.

Of course getting some exercise is a key part in successful weight loss as well, but putting together a well thought out eating plan designed to stay with you for the rest of your life is the real key to taking that extra weight off and keeping it off for good. Be careful not to get caught making the mistakes mentioned here and you will have a much better chance at weight loss success.

Popularity: 100% [?]

Losing weight is 100 times easier if you are mentally prepared for it. This may sound elementary, but in my experience most dieters quit their weight loss plan not because they feel hungry or have difficulty with the menus, but because of psychological reasons. Either, they become bored, or dissatisfied with their rate of weight loss, or suffer a momentary lapse and become overwhelmed by guilt, or feel too “deprived” to continue. And then, in an attempt to explain their failure, many of them blame their diet-plan, their domestic situation, or their congenital inability to lose weight. This process often repeats itself, as a result, some dieters can spend years unsuccessfully trying to lose weight, without ever realizing the true cause of their difficulty. Here are three common psychological problems we encounter when trying to reduce weight, along with some tips for how to overcome them.

Problem 1. Not Knowing How Weight Loss Will Benefit You

Whether we want to lose 20 or 220 pounds, we need to change our eating habits and perhaps several other lifestyle habits as well. Making these changes may not be difficult on Day 1 or Week 1 of our weight loss diet, because our initial enthusiasm usually gives us sufficient motivation. But, typically within 2-3 weeks, our “new” eating pattern starts to interfere with our regular lifestyle and, unless we are prepared for this, our desire to continue dieting will start to fade. Instead of seeing our diet as a passport to a better weight and shape, we see it as an obstacle and a burden. It becomes something we are doing because we “must” rather than because we “want to”. This is the first big emotional problem we encounter when dieting.

To overcome this problem, we need to know exactly why we are trying to lose weight. We need a clear idea of how it will benefit us. Because only if we have a clear benefit to look forward to, will we be able to resist the temptation to revert to our previous bad habits. General benefits from having a leaner, lighter shape aren’t powerful enough. We need a selfish, specific benefit - something we can visualize - that commands our attention. Maybe a beach holiday, or a dream outfit to wear for a specific occasion, or a new shape to show off at Thanksgiving. Whatever we choose, it must make a noise inside our head! Remember, the moment we start to feel that we “have to” do something, it becomes the enemy - like paying taxes, or cleaning out the basement - and our motivation flies out the window. In order to achieve lasting weight loss, we need to “want it”.

Problem 2. Trying To Be Perfect

During my 24 years or so as a weight loss consultant and nutritionist, I’ve met perhaps 10,000 dieters in person, and communicated personally with another 100,000 over the Internet. But so far I haven’t met one single successful dieter who was perfect. On the contrary, most of my successful clients made tons of mistakes. They had bad days, bad weeks - even whole months - during which they went completely off the rails. But none of this stopped them from succeeding in the end. Why not? Because they learned from their mistakes. And let’s not forget: most of our self-knowledge comes from the mistakes we make, not our successes.

Unfortunately, many dieters insist on trying to be perfect. As a result, when they do fall off the wagon (as they always do), they find it impossible to tolerate their “failure”, and become overwhelmed by guilt. So even though their lapse might have been relatively trivial (a weekend binge), they go to pieces. Because, as usual, it’s the guilt that does the real damage, not the bingeing.

The lesson is this. When dieting, don’t waste time trying to be perfect. It only leads to increased guilt and failure. Instead, accept that you are going to make mistakes, and don’t let them distract you when they happen. See them as a learning experience. For example, if you drink too much alcohol when dining out, and massively overeat as a result, don’t wake up the next morning in a fit of depression. Instead, savor your experience, and appreciate that you have made an important discovery: that too much alcohol makes weight loss more difficult. By reacting like this, you will avoid guilt and find it much easier to return to your diet.

Problem 3. Treating Your Diet As Race

Another common problem concerns speed of weight reduction. Many dieters expect to lose weight very fast, and are psychologically unprepared when their body refuses to behave in this fashion. If a week passes without any weight reduction, they become dispirited and start to lose interest. Unfortunately, like it or not, the human body is designed for survival not “appearance”. Therefore it has no interest in shedding body fat, which it sees as an important source of energy during times of famine. As a result, the maximum amount of fat we can lose in a week is about 3 pounds, while someone who is less than 30 pounds overweight may lose about 1 pound. Anything extra is likely to be a combination of water and muscle weight.

To overcome your impatience and maintain steady weight loss, stop thinking of your diet as a race. Instead, see it as a journey. This reduces anxiety and gives you more “breathing space” to settle into your new eating habits. I explain this in more detail on my wonderful weight loss forum, and most people find it a very beneficial approach. At the same time, avoid jumping on your bathroom scales every day - limit yourself to once a week. Checking your weight more often only encourages you to take a short-term view of things, which is not helpful.

I realize that “steady” weight loss may not sound terribly attractive, but in my experience the slower the weight loss, the longer it stays off. Furthermore, as stated above, if you lose more than 3 pounds a week it won’t be fat - it will be muscle or water. And while losing water is only temporary - and thus pointless - losing muscle will slow your metabolism and increase the risk of future weight gain.

So when you start your next diet journey, just remember: there’s no rush. Set yourself a realistic weight loss goal and let Nature take its course. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds and are aiming for 150 pounds, allow yourself 6 months to reach your destination. And if it takes a little longer, so what? I mean, what do you lose.

These three psychological problems account for a huge number of diet failures. Mastering them will definitely enhance your chances of losing weight. So before you embark with all your customary enthusiasm on yet another “new” diet, set aside some time to think through these issues and then watch the pounds disappear!

Popularity: 1% [?]

You may not realize it, but there is a certain psychology at work in successful weight loss. It is no surprise, then, that the magazine Psychology Today has explored the issue in-depth. In October of 2004, the magazine posted an article on its website detailing the experiences of Diane Berry, a nurse practitioner who studied women who had shed at least 15 pounds and had maintained their weight loss for an average of seven years.

The women shared some important things in common. For instance, they all achieved their weight loss through either Weight Watchers or TOPS, which meant that they had a firm support network as they tried to maintain their weight. The group meetings were highly important, because they learned to recognize that they were certainly not alone in their struggles with weight. The women were also quite unusual because up to 90 percent of individuals who have lost weight end up putting it back on within five years.

Another common trait of these women is that they appeared to undergo a profound mood shift as they made the transition from fat to thin. From all indications, they appeared to be depressed when they were heavy but, as they attempted to lose weight, their mood brightened.

For these women, healthy eating became a habit—a habit they refused to break. They themselves recognized the tremendous role that psychology plays in weight loss. They refused to give in to negative feelings of frustration and denial and chose a positive path instead. The women also made it a point to weigh themselves regularly so that they could chart their progress.

And they recognized that maintaining weight loss would be a lifetime struggle. They knew that they could not attempt a weight loss program then put it back on the shelf. They had to learn new eating patterns that they could continue week in and week out. In some cases, they likened their struggle to that of an alcoholic. In other words, they recognized the gravity of their problem and took steps to correct the situation.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of these women’s experiences was the fact that their weight loss actually came in spurts. At times, they regained their weight, but they did not let that deter them from their final goal. They simply viewed their setbacks as challenges that they needed to overcome. This may be the key psychological trait that separates successful dieters from unsuccessful ones—perseverance. In essence, these women were able to change their personalities in a positive way in order to achieve their long-term weight loss goals.

Another interesting aspect of this study was that it showed that the women who had undergone weight loss transformation were genuinely happy. This shows the tremendous psychological impact that weight loss can have on an individual. Once an individual is free from the burden of extra weight, he or she is better able to meet the challenges of life head-on. The dieter benefits from positive reinforcement, as relatives, friends, and co-workers congratulate him or her for the weight loss. In this way, losing weight can be quite a life-affirming experience and can lead to a more optimistic outlook on life.

It must be noted here that the psychology of weight loss is a complicated matter. There is no single ingredient that can turn a fat person into a thin one. However, recognizing that there is a psychological component to successful weight loss may, in fact, be half the battle. Once an individual recognizes that he or she is engaged in a psychological fight, he or she is better able to do battle. By retraining oneself to seek healthy approaches to diet, one can, in effect, mold oneself into a new individual—one that no longer lives to eat, but simply eats to live.

Popularity: 56% [?]

The Zone Diet mechanism on the standard that 100,000 years ago, we were meat eaters and our metabolism is intended to touch the burden of a meat-based diet.

Madonna, Demi Moore, and Jennifer Aniston pledge through the outcome the Zone Diet, which was formed by Barry Sears, PhD. The Zone Diet has 40% carbohydrate, 30% protein, and 30% fat and is identified as the 40-30-30 plan.

As the food business evolved, more carbohydrates have been introduced interested in our every day diet, thus causing a discrepancy in our metabolism to burn fat. The motive for our superfluous weight can also be ascribed to the loads of grains and starches in our diet (pasta, rice, breads, and potatoes). The Zone Diet’s approach calls for a come back to the diets of our ancestors where meat, fruits, and veggies are the major dietary foods.

The Zone Diet proposes that you should have the right proportion of carbohydrates to proteins and fats in order to manage the insulin in the bloodstream. Too much of the hormone (insulin) can augment fat storage and inflammation in the body (conditions that are linked with obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease). Sears emphasizes that by using the Zone Diet, you are in fact optimizing the body’s metabolic function. Through the parameter of blood sugar, you allow your body to burn excess body fat.

Even if you are not banned from any particular food cluster, it is most excellent to keep away from food with high fat and carbohydrates for instance grains, starches, and pastas. The idyllic foundations of carbs are fruits and veggies and for monounsaturated fats olive oil, almonds, and avocados are suggested. The Zone Diet states to use food as a medicine for overall good health, weight loss and prevention or management of heart disease and diabetes.

Sears says that you can test to see whether you are ‘hormonally’ exact by intaking subsequently the Zone diet and see how you experience four hours later. To simplify the Zone Diet, fill one-third of a plate with low-fat protein, and then two-thirds with fruits and veggies.

Personalities and some health specialist say that the Zone’s proposal do not wander away far from the USDA’s (United States Dietary Association) dietary guiding principle and therefore are militant of the Zone Diet. Others dispute that the Zone Diet has faulty ratios but Sears argues that the Zone diet is a low-glycemic-load diet that has sufficient protein. .

A critic of the Zone diet such as the AHA (American Heart Association) categorizes the Zone Diet as high protein and does not suggest the Zone Diet for weight loss. They challenge that the Zone Diet has not been established success in the long term for weight loss. The AHA issued an official recommendation warning against diets like the Zone Diet. They believe that the Zone Diet is risky as it restricts the ingestion of necessary vitamins and minerals present in certain foods. The AHA also contends that the protein ratio in the Zone diet is too high even if the least fat ratio is fine. Robert H. Ecker M.D of the A.H.A. discovers the Zone Diet’s theory on insulin faulty and argues that there is no systematic proof that the hormone insulin plays a big role in weight regulation

Popularity: 1% [?]