Most people believe that calories are the "enemy", since eating excess calories leads to excess fat, right? That's why most people believe that the fastest way to lose weight is to cut way back on calories each day. After all, if a dieter is eating 2,500 calories per day and they decide to cut back to 1,500 calories per day, then obviously those extra 1,000 calories have to result in weight loss, right?
Well, actually this is not exactly true.
In fact, if you try to cut your calories too much (via starving yourself and skipping meals) then you'll quickly reach a dieting "plateau" (a point where the scale refuses to drop any lower no matter how little your are eating).
Firstly, let's talk about how the average person begins a new diet...
The scenario usually sounds something like this...
One day you look in the mirror and see that your clothes are fitting tighter than normal, and you look more overweight than normal. And on this day you get angry with yourself. You're angry with what you see in the mirror and you decide that you're going to lose weight no matter what it takes. You are filled with lots of motivation and anger on this day, and you feel determined to do whatever it takes to get slimmer.
So what's the first thing you do?
You begin skipping meals and cutting way back on calories in an attempt to starve yourself thinner, since you're convinced that calories are the enemy.
On the first day of dieting you feel so motivated to lose weight that you decide to skip breakfast.
Unfortunately, this motivation doesn't last for long, because after a few hours your hunger begins making you feel weak -- because your body is not accustomed to "skipping meals" like this, and your body is not accustomed to being without calories for so long.
By the time lunchtime arrives you're so hungry (and weak) that you feel absolutely miserable --- but yet you bravely tell yourself that you can handle this diet (because after all, you certainly don't want to feel like a quitter).
So you perhaps have a piece of fruit for lunch (or perhaps another small food item instead), since you're still convinced that you can starve yourself thinner.
Finally, hours later when dinnertime arrives you're so miserable and hungry that you have a major headache and this is the moment when you finally begin to realize that starving yourself might not be such a good idea after all.
After this first day of starving yourself you feel horrible, but you're determined to stick to your diet since you don't want to be a quitter so soon -- so you'll likely hold out for another few days on this diet. Or, if you are particularly brave then you may even hold out for a week or two.
However, regardless of how long you actually hold out -- you won't get any slimmer and the final result will still be the same.
You see, even after two weeks of starving yourself you won't have achieved any serious weight loss at all. In fact, your body will still look the same when you look in the mirror.
Why is this true?
This is true because most of the weight lost during a starvation diet is just water weight, and not real fat loss. You must remember that any water weight lost during a starvation diet will be gained back immediately when you stop dieting and start eating normally again.
Also, whenever you starve yourself you cause a hidden factor to come into play.
You see, whenever you starve yourself your body will begin burning fewer calories each day.
For instance, let's say that you normally eat about 3000 calories per day. But then you suddenly cut way back on calories -- so that you're now eating only 1,000 calories per day.
Guess what happens?
Even though you're eating 2,000 fewer calories per day your body will begin burning 2,000 fewer calories per day so in reality your weight will remain the same even though you're eating 2,000 fewer calories per day.
When this happens the scale will stop going down regardless of how little you are eating each day, and this is known as a weight loss plateau.
This is why most starvation dieters cannot make the scale go down anymore after just two weeks of dieting. They all hit a plateau where the scale just refuses to go down any further, no matter how little they are eating each day.
Now you know why you've always failed when trying to starve yourself in the past, since it's just not possible to lose weight by starving yourself.
The truth is that serious weight loss can never be achieved by starvation dieting.
Serious weight loss can only be achieved by giving your body the right types of calories at the correct times each day, which is something that we talk about later in great detail.
Your body is actually like a big engine -- and the truth is that your body needs all 3 types of calories (protein, carbs, and fat) to some degree.
To begin losing weight fast I recommend using the new Idiot Proof Diet from Fat Loss 4 Idiots -- because it does not require any calorie counting. it's one of the only diets in the world which forces fast weight loss without the need to count calories.
Click here for more information about this wonderful diet and how it can help you achieve your goals.
Go here to get more information on how to design the perfect diet for you and your body type.
This site will also give you animated exercises for dieting that are easy to do at home or at work, don't need any fancy equipment, and will make your diet much more effective.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
Why not just Diet?
One of the worst assaults on our bodies has been the self-imposed low-calorie diet. This has never seemed to be a very good idea, and recent research supports the notion that such diets can be harmful as well as ineffective.
The body's survival response to low-calorie diets is to lower metabolic rate in order to burn fewer calories and minimize weight loss. One study of over-weight women on low-calorie diets found these women burned 350 fewer calories per day than when they were eating more normal amounts of food.
The slowed metabolic rate seen on very- low-calorie diets does not stop when a person begins to eat more normally. In fact, metabolism remains lower so weight maybe regained quickly. This, too, is a survival mechanism allowing rapid weight gain following starvation.
Unfortunately, all too many of us repeat this cycle of weight loss and weight gain. The long-term health effects are unknown, but animal studies suggest this yo-yo pattern makes each attempt to lose weight more difficult. With each diet cycle, weight is lost more slowly and regained more quickly.
Another problem with very-low-calorie diets is that weight loss is not all fat, but includes a substantial loss in lean mass, which includes muscle tissue. Exercise helps reduce this lean tissue loss. The combination of exercise and moderate calorie reduction is best for minimizing lean tissue loss during weight loss.
There are other health reasons to shy away from low-calorie diets if you are trying to lose weight. Recent research has linked very-low-calorie diets and the resulting overall low daily nutrient in-takes to the development of both coronary heart disease and osteoporosis in women. The reasons for this relationship are not known, but at this point it seems sensible to take a more moderate approach to cutting back on calories to lose weight.
Current recommendations for safe and effective weight loss from the American Dietetic Association suggest adults go no lower than 10 calories per pound of present body weight. For example, a 150-pound person should not eat fewer than 1,500 calories per day on a weight loss program; a 125-pound person no fewer than 1,250 calories per day. This is a change from the 1,200-calorie diet which is traditionally given to women wanting to lose weight. Using the 10-calories-per-pound guide will produce a gradual weight loss. Weight lost gradually is less likely to be gained back.
The body's survival response to low-calorie diets is to lower metabolic rate in order to burn fewer calories and minimize weight loss. One study of over-weight women on low-calorie diets found these women burned 350 fewer calories per day than when they were eating more normal amounts of food.
The slowed metabolic rate seen on very- low-calorie diets does not stop when a person begins to eat more normally. In fact, metabolism remains lower so weight maybe regained quickly. This, too, is a survival mechanism allowing rapid weight gain following starvation.
Unfortunately, all too many of us repeat this cycle of weight loss and weight gain. The long-term health effects are unknown, but animal studies suggest this yo-yo pattern makes each attempt to lose weight more difficult. With each diet cycle, weight is lost more slowly and regained more quickly.
Another problem with very-low-calorie diets is that weight loss is not all fat, but includes a substantial loss in lean mass, which includes muscle tissue. Exercise helps reduce this lean tissue loss. The combination of exercise and moderate calorie reduction is best for minimizing lean tissue loss during weight loss.
There are other health reasons to shy away from low-calorie diets if you are trying to lose weight. Recent research has linked very-low-calorie diets and the resulting overall low daily nutrient in-takes to the development of both coronary heart disease and osteoporosis in women. The reasons for this relationship are not known, but at this point it seems sensible to take a more moderate approach to cutting back on calories to lose weight.
Current recommendations for safe and effective weight loss from the American Dietetic Association suggest adults go no lower than 10 calories per pound of present body weight. For example, a 150-pound person should not eat fewer than 1,500 calories per day on a weight loss program; a 125-pound person no fewer than 1,250 calories per day. This is a change from the 1,200-calorie diet which is traditionally given to women wanting to lose weight. Using the 10-calories-per-pound guide will produce a gradual weight loss. Weight lost gradually is less likely to be gained back.
Go here to get more information on how to design the perfect diet for you and your body type.
This site will also give you animated exercises for dieting that are easy to do at home or at work, don't need any fancy equipment, and will make your diet much more effective.Friday, August 3, 2007
Does Exercise help with my Diet?
Cutting calories doesn't have to mean dieting
We become overweight when we consume more calories in food and drink than we burn up. To lose weight, we need to burn up more calories than we consume. We can accomplish that by either consuming fewer calories, burning more calories, or both. Cutting calories doesn’t necessarily have to mean going on a “diet.” It can just mean avoiding or limiting one or more foods high in calories from fat, sugar, or alcohol. Cutting calories can also be accomplished by reducing our portion sizes, or by eating smaller portions of those high-calorie foods and filling up on larger portions of low-calorie foods such as vegetables and fruits.
We become overweight when we consume more calories in food and drink than we burn up. To lose weight, we need to burn up more calories than we consume. We can accomplish that by either consuming fewer calories, burning more calories, or both. Cutting calories doesn’t necessarily have to mean going on a “diet.” It can just mean avoiding or limiting one or more foods high in calories from fat, sugar, or alcohol. Cutting calories can also be accomplished by reducing our portion sizes, or by eating smaller portions of those high-calorie foods and filling up on larger portions of low-calorie foods such as vegetables and fruits.
Objective analysis shows that cuts in calorie consumption add up faster than increases in exercise. Studies show that a combination of smaller portions and changes in what we eat can easily reduce calorie consumption by up to 500 daily, whereas burning an extra 500 calories daily can be a daunting target especially for women.
Exercise plus lower calories for women
In a University of Minnesota study, moderate or substantial drops in dietary fat were linked to weight loss in overweight and obese men and women, regardless of how much they changed physical activity. On average, these successful program participants decreased the number of high-fat foods they ate by five to ten servings a week. In women, even substantial increases in exercise were not enough to produce weight loss if they did not decrease fat consumption. Men, however, were able to lose weight through increased exercise alone.
For men, the effects of exercise and dietary fat seemed to have independent effects on the amount of weight lost. For women, although exercise alone was not a successful weight loss strategy, at each level of dietary fat reduction those who increased exercise − moderately or substantially − lost more weight than those who changed activity less.
Whether exercise changes metabolism to allow more successful weight loss, or whether its stress-reduction benefits allow more consistent progress in changing eating habits, this and other studies show that both increasing exercise and decreasing calorie consumption clearly seems the best weight-loss choice for everyone.
Go here to get more information on how to design the perfect diet for you and your body type.
This site will also give you animated exercises for dieting that are easy to do at home or at work, don't need any fancy equipment, and will make your diet much more effective.Wednesday, June 6, 2007
What is my ideal body fat percentage?
Body fat percentage (or index) is an estimate of the fraction of the total body mass that is fat mass as opposed to lean body mass like muscle, bone, organ tissue, blood, and everything else. This index is often used as a means to monitor progress during a diet or as a measure of physical fitness for certain sports, such as body building. It is more accurate as a measure of excess body weight than body mass index (BMI) however, its popularity is less than BMI because equipment required to perform the body fat percentage is not readily available and skills are required to perform the measurement. Even when measured by a skillful person, there are factors that contribute to a signficant margin of error.
Total body fat percentage consists of essential fat and storage fat. Essential fat is that amount necessary for maintenance of life and reproductive functions. The percentage for women is greater than that for men, due to the demands of childbearing and other hormonal functions. Essential fat is 2-5% in men, and 10-13% in women. Storage fat consists of fat accumulation in adipose tissue, part of which protects internal organs in the chest and abdomen. Again, women have slightly more than men.
Recommendations
Some body fat percentage levels are more culturally valued than others, and some are related to better health or improved athletic performance.
According to Health Check Systems, The American Council on Exercise has categorized ranges of body fat percentages as follows:
Description Women Men
Essential fat 10-13% 2-4%
Athletes 14–20% 6–13%
Fitness 21–24% 14–17%
Acceptable 25–31% 18–25%
Obese 32%+ 25%+
A small amount of storage fat is required to be as fuel for the body in time of need. It is unclear whether falling in a particular category of these body fat percentages is better for your health than any other, but there are definitely enhancements in athletic performance as you near the ideal body fat percentage range for your particular sport. The leanest athletes, bodybuilders, typically compete at levels of about 5-8% for men, and 10-15% for women. Getting to this level usually requires specific and carefully monitored variations in sodium and fluid intakes. It can be dangerous to maintain a body fat percentage at the low end of this range for more than a few days or a few hours.
Total body fat percentage consists of essential fat and storage fat. Essential fat is that amount necessary for maintenance of life and reproductive functions. The percentage for women is greater than that for men, due to the demands of childbearing and other hormonal functions. Essential fat is 2-5% in men, and 10-13% in women. Storage fat consists of fat accumulation in adipose tissue, part of which protects internal organs in the chest and abdomen. Again, women have slightly more than men.
Recommendations
Some body fat percentage levels are more culturally valued than others, and some are related to better health or improved athletic performance.
According to Health Check Systems, The American Council on Exercise has categorized ranges of body fat percentages as follows:
Description Women Men
Essential fat 10-13% 2-4%
Athletes 14–20% 6–13%
Fitness 21–24% 14–17%
Acceptable 25–31% 18–25%
Obese 32%+ 25%+
A small amount of storage fat is required to be as fuel for the body in time of need. It is unclear whether falling in a particular category of these body fat percentages is better for your health than any other, but there are definitely enhancements in athletic performance as you near the ideal body fat percentage range for your particular sport. The leanest athletes, bodybuilders, typically compete at levels of about 5-8% for men, and 10-15% for women. Getting to this level usually requires specific and carefully monitored variations in sodium and fluid intakes. It can be dangerous to maintain a body fat percentage at the low end of this range for more than a few days or a few hours.
Go here to get more information on how to design the perfect diet for you and your body type.
This site will also give you animated exercises for dieting that are easy to do, don't need any fancy equipment, and will make your diet much more effective.Friday, April 27, 2007
The Harris-Benedict Principle Explained
Most people can handle weight maintenance. For example, what you eat right now probably maintains you at the weight you are now. So if you can figure out how many calories you are consuming in the moment to maintain the weight you are at. The way to do this is to use a simple formula called the Harris-Benedict principle. It assesses your basal metabolic rate.
The basal metabolic rate or BMR is what your body burns to function. For most of us, we use about 60 percent of the calories we consume each day to do things like breathe, eat and live. The are a lot of factors that influence our BMR including our sex, our weight, our height and our age. Here is how you figure out what your BMR is:
For Women: 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years) = BMR
So if you are 35, weigh 180 pounds and stand 65 inches tall, your BMR would be:
655+ (4.35 x 180) + (4.7 x 65) - (4.7 x 35) = BMR
655 + 783 + 305.5 - 164.5 = BMR
1579 = BMR
Now, that's just step one. For men the formula is a bit different: BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)
So the second step to figuring out your calorie counting and BMR is:
Multiply your daily activity and caloric output versus your BMR.
- Sedentary = BMR x 1.2
- Lightly Active = BMR x 1.375
- Moderately Active = BMR x 1.55
- Very Active = BMR x 1.725
- Athletic = BMR x 1.9
So let's say our 35 year old woman is lightly active: 2172 is the answer to how many calories you are taking in at your level of activity in order to maintain your current weight. So to create your caloric deficit to lose weight, you need to burn an extra 500 calories a day, you can lose about a pound a week.
You can do this by burning 250 calories extra in exercise and cutting back 250 calories per day from the diet. You can push this up to burning 500 calories a day in exercise and cutting back 500 calories out of your diet per day. This puts you in a target goal of losing .5 to 2 pounds for week.
Go here to get more information on how to design the perfect diet for you and your body type.
This site will also give you animated exercises for dieting that are easy to do, don't need any fancy equipment, and will make your diet much more effective.Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Diet Programs and How They Work - Weight Watchers
If you've decided to slim down a little bit, then you may be considering joining a weight loss program to help you drop those pounds. There are a number of different weight loss programs available
Weight Watchers is currently one of the most popular diet programs out there. Developed in the 1960s by an American, Jean Nidetch, Weight Watchers has since expanded to more than 30 different countries worldwide. And with millions of participants, including Sarah, the Duchess of York, Weight Watchers has gained a lot of credibility for providing its participants with nutritious and healthy food while helping them to lose weight and keep it off.
How Does It Work?
Weight Watchers helps men and women to lose weight by getting them to become more aware of their calorie intake and expenditure. While they offer different types of weight loss programs, one of their most popular is the Points System.
The Points System assigns a specific number of points to every type of food, based on serving size, calories, fiber content, and fat grams. The Points System also assigns a negative number of points to various exercises that people perform during the Weight Watchers program. At the end of the week, you tally up these points and try to come in under your total weekly point allowance. This overall point allowance is based on your current weight and your weight loss goals. Weight Watchers also provides weekly meetings to help support you through your weight loss experience.
Does It Work?
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that people who had followed the Weight Watchers Points program for two years lost an average of about six pounds. Those who also attended Weight Watchers meetings were found to be more successful, losing an average of 11 pounds after two years.
Pros and Cons
The Weight Watcher’s program offers a number of useful benefits for dieters. A particular pro about this diet is that no single type of food is restricted or banned. Instead dieters can choose to eat any type of food, as long as it’s in moderation. Additionally, Weight Watchers promotes healthy eating habits and portion control, both of which are essential to long term weight maintenance. However, many participants find that the Weight Watchers Points System involves too many calculations. Additionally, meetings can become very competitive and quite expensive.
The next program I'll be talking about is Jenny Craig. Stay tuned.
Go here to get more information on how to design the perfect diet for you and your body type.
This site will also give you animated exercises for dieting that are easy to do, don't need any fancy equipment, and will make your diet much more effective.Wednesday, March 21, 2007
What is BMI and how does it help my diet?
A number of methods are used to determine if someone is overweight or obese. Some are based on the relationship between height and weight; others are based on measurements of body fat. The most commonly used method today is the body mass index (BMI). BMI is an index of weight adjusted for the height of an individual.
BMI can be used to screen for both overweight and obesity in adults. It is the measurement of choice for many obesity researchers and other health professionals, as well as the definition used in most published information on overweight and obesity. BMI is a calculation based on height and weight, and it is not gender-specific in adults. BMI does not directly measure percent of body fat, but it is a more accurate indicator of overweight and obesity than relying on weight alone.
BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. The mathematical formula is “weight (kg)/height (m²).”
To determine BMI using pounds and inches, multiply weight in pounds by 704.5,* divide the result by height in inches, and then divide that result by height in inches a second time.
Go here to get more information on how to design the perfect diet for you and your body type.
This site will also give you animated exercises for dieting that are easy to do, don't need any fancy equipment, and will make your diet much more effective.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
