willgetyoufit

You’ve all seen it…heard it….experienced it…people skipping out on sweets and fast food. People spending a few extra hours a week in the gym and becoming meticulous with their portion control. Yet when the smoke settles and the dust clears not a single pound has been lost. FYL right…I know. But this is a problem for “metabolistically challenged” individuals all over the world. They mistakenly believe that they are on the right path to weight loss but the farther they walk the more lost they get. As a result, they become frustrated and depressed and may then engage in binge eating.

One of the leading problems with contemporary diets is that they are too standardized. Very rarely do many, if any, really take into consideration individual physiologies and metabolisms.
They provide circle shaped approaches to weight loss in a world that’s filled with triangles, square, hexagons…you get the point. The first step to developing a diet for yourself is determining your body type. Each body type requires a different dietary approach to make body composition changes. For more info on body types see “What’s your body type…” and “Where did my fat go?“.

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! (That’s equivalent to a Big Mac (O_o) ). 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. For more info on hidden calories see “Pouring on the Pounds” and “The Alcoholic Truth About Exercise”.

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 most will have to stay on your diets 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. Best way to stay positive is to eliminate negative thought processes. See “Killing Ants To Lose Weight”.

You may also be more successful in your dieting if you consider it to be a lifestyle change. When you conduct a lifestyle change, 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. It either helps you reach your goal or pushes you farther away from it. As a result, you should not turn to food to make you feel better or to provide you with a sense of comfort. If that’s your norm then poor methods of sublimating your feelings probably has a huge stake in why you are in this position now. A lifestyle change implies commitment; it means that you are prepared to follow the plan for the long haul. It means knowing and understanding the difference between immediate pleasures, short term goals and long term happiness. If you feel as if you cannot be on your diet for any appreciable length of time, then change it. Find one that you can follow. 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. For help in making that lifestyle change see “Tips on Behavior Modification and Exercise“.