5 Truths About Weight Loss

5 Truths About Weight Loss

Anyone who says that weight loss is easy, probably hasn’t struggled with their weight. Let’s face it, the concept behind weight loss for most people may be simple- but the actual process of losing weight is right up there with climbing Mount Everest! Okay, slight exaggeration… but it’s tough! So in order to have a lasting chance at losing weight and keeping the weight off, it’s important to understand a few things about the relationship between food and your body. When you understand it better, you’ll have a much better shot at success.

Exercise is Not Everything – Exercise alone will rarely give you the weight loss results you’re looking for. In fact, the majority of weight loss happens from diet. However, exercise does play an important role in helping with weight loss, being heart-healthy, and keeping the weight off.

Quick Fixes – Most people who are overweight or obese have tried quick fixes, such as diet pills, liquid diets, fad diets, and weight loss supplements. Stop wasting your time, energy and money – these quick fixes that come with promises of making magic happen, simply do not work. Plus, they can be dangerous to your health. Diet is key; along with an exercise routine- and patience is a virtue my friends!

Mars vs. Venus – Sorry ladies, but men do have it easier. Why? Due to muscle mass, hormones and a naturally larger physique, men burn more calories. And thanks to biology, men have less fat than women to begin with. So bottom line is not to compare. If you’re on a weight loss journey with a male counterpart, you’ll just have to eat a bit less to have similar results.

The Rabbit and the Hare – When it comes to weight loss, slow and steady wins the race. If you’re trying out a starvation diet or crash dieting, you will wreak havoc on your metabolism. Why? When you suddenly stop eating or decrease your calorie intake significantly, your body goes into starvation mode trying to save as much stored fat on your body as possible. It does this by s-l-o-w-i-n-g down your metabolism. Then, once you stop crash dieting, not only will the pounds come back very quickly, but you may even gain more weight than before you started- and at the very least, your altered metabolism can sabotage future efforts of weight loss, making it even tougher the next time around.

Are You Ready for Forever? If you’re serious about losing weight, like really, actually serious about losing weight and keeping it off, then it’s time to face the truth: Weight loss is not another New Year’s resolution you’ve been counting down the days to begin, or a 3-month long sacrifice you’re making for your upcoming high school reunion- weight loss is a lifestyle. So, before you embark on yet another weight loss journey, be honest with yourself… is this weight loss journey for now- or forever? When you make a commitment that this next journey is for the long haul, you’ll have a better relationship with food and the changes that you’re making because you’ll start to see it as a new way of living, instead of making ‘sacrifices’ every meal- which is no way to live, and is one of the biggest reasons why weight loss efforts fail.

What About Weight Loss Surgery?

Weight loss surgery may be the best treatment option for obesity if conventional methods of weight loss, such as diet and exercise, have failed. It may also be the best option if an individual has an obesity-related disease. In general however, it is encouraged that the first step to weight loss include changes in diet, increased physical activity and behavioral modifications. When appropriate, weight loss surgery can help with long-term weight loss, improved medical conditions, improved lifespan, and improved quality of life. Learn more about the Best Hospitals for Bariatric Surgery.

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