Weight Loss Myths Exposed

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How to Identify Weight Loss Myths

Weight loss myths are created to justify bogus weight loss programs. Lose twenty pounds in a week! Get the body of your dreams before the beach season! Be the envy of all your friends! And just to show you that they’re serious, the information is presented by a human Barbie or Ken doll. It’s gotta work, right

Popular weight loss programs come and go quicker than the turning of seasons, but people are still pulled in by weight loss myths like moths to a flame. Despite what the best-selling books and peppy infomercials will tell you, the sad truth is that in almost every case these fad programs eventually result in additional weight gained. It’s inevitable because these programs are unsustainable long-term.

When your body rebounds from one of these starvation or manufactured food type weight loss programs you gain more weight than you started with. This is called the “rebound effect” of yo-yo dieting and the people who design these bogus programs count on it. They also count on the fact that you won’t blame them for the failure; you will blame yourself for not “sticking with the program.” The truth is that it’s not your fault, you never had a chance to succeed and trust me they know it.

There are just too many weight loss myths and bad weight loss programs to list. So, I have listed the most common types by category. If a weight loss program falls into one of these categories don’t go for it!

Promise of rapid weight loss

This is one of the most believed weight loss myths. It would be great if you could safely lose twenty pounds in a week, but that just isn’t realistic. Safe, effective and healthy weight loss is at the rate of 1 – 3 pounds each week (the one exception is the 1st couple of weeks where you can make more drastic initial weight losses of 4 – 8 pounds a week) Anything faster than this is extremely unhealthy, it will cause your metabolism to slow and your body to lose muscle mass. Both of these conditions makes it easier for you to regain weight after you return to your normal eating pattern.

Does it ask that you purchase special products?

The idea that we can’t maintain a healthy weight by eating normal foods is a common weight loss myth. There are no chemically enhanced food items or gimmicks needed for weight loss; nature has provided everything we need. Any program that expects you to give up healthy and nutritious whole foods in exchange for highly processed ‘diet’ products are simply playing on this weight loss myth. These programs are not healthy and will not work long-term.

Does it eliminate certain foods or whole food groups?

Programs that say certain basic food groups like carbohydrates are bad for you are based on weight loss myths. It will set you up for failure and possibly even risk your health. Your body requires a proper amount and mix of carbohydrates, proteins and fats to be healthy and strong. Eliminating important food groups causes you to lose out on nutrients that you need and can be dangerous to your health. You may lose some weight initially, but at what cost?

Does it include a strict plan to follow?

Another one of the common weight loss myths is that you must follow a strict restrictive diet to lose weight. Come on, we are humans, not robots. Who can really stick with a drastic diet schedule? If a program cannot be customized to fit your personal likes and dislikes as well as your schedule then you won’t stick with it.

Weight loss myths are perpetuated by the billion dollar weight loss industry to get you to buy their programs. These programs are all designed to produce short term success, sometimes even drastic early weight loss, and then fail in the long term. They fail because all weight loss programs based on weight loss myths are unsustainable. They count on your failure and self blame for the failure to set you up for their next “miracle” weight loss program.

Don’t keep falling for the weight loss myths pushed by these companies. If you are tired of the lies and deception and don’t know where to get real information on weight loss go to the Lose Weight Help Site.

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Four Simple Changes for Weight Loss

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People who need to lose weight often get overwhelmed by the perceived enormity of the task. They believe that they need to make drastic changes to their diets and lifestyle in order to be successful. This is not true, you can make four simple changes for weight loss and gradually and consistently lose weight.

Four Simple Changes for Weight Loss

#1 Move a Little More

Find opportunities to get your body moving more. Park further away when going places, take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, go for short walks when you have a little time, do some gardening, play with your kids. You will be amazed what a big difference these little things can make. Your body was meant to move, get it moving!

#2 Watch the Adders

Many times it’s not the food we are eating that’s the biggest problem, but the stuff we put on it. Stay away from mayonnaise, ranch dressings, cream sauces, cheese sauces and meat sauces. Instead, replace them with mustard’s, vinaigrette dressings, marinara sauces, and salsa. Salsa is one of the best, low calorie, low fat, high nutrition adders for your foods. It can spice up almost anything from burgers and fish to potatoes and vegetables. Dump the high calorie/high fat adders and replace with low calorie/low fat options. You will be amazed at the difference this can make.

#3 Eat Breakfast

Eating breakfast is critical for healthy weight loss. You need to get your body out of starvation mode and burning calories as soon as possible in the morning. Stick with healthy options like oatmeal and fresh fruit or a healthy cereal. Add a little lean protein to really get the metabolism fires burning. Even an Egg McMuffin from McDonald’s is good (just leave off the cheese).

#4 Don’t Eat Late

Quite often, the extra calories that put on weight are consumed after dinner and before bed. Resist the urge to eat foods late at night as these are the extra calories you don’t need. Try having dinner a little later than you normally do so that you don’t get hungry before bed. This will also shorten the time between dinner and breakfast shortening your starvation period. If you must have something after dinner, keep some low calorie/low fat pre-packaged deserts in the fridge or freezer. This will help you control the amount you eat and your calories consumed.

Follow these four simple changes for weight loss and you will definitely see an improvement in your weight management. Don’t get discouraged because you think that you must make drastic changes or do nothing at all. Anyone can follow these four simple changes for weight loss and dramatically improve their health.

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What Are the Causes of Obesity

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What is the cause of obesity? On the surface, this seems to be a very simple question. The vast majority of people gain weight because they eat more calories than they burn, and they become obese when they do this over a long period of time. It’s a fact that less than 1% of people have a genetic issue that goes against this science. It’s really very simple math, 3500 calories = 1 pound. If you eat 3500 more calories than you burn over a period of time you gain 1 pound. If you burn 3500 more calories than you eat over a period of time you lose 1 pound. Simple right? Of course it is, however, the question of why people consume more calories than they burn is much more complex.

Obesity rates have increased dramatically over the last 50 years. According to the American Medical Association, 11.7% of Americans were obese in 1961 with 42.3% overweight. By 2008, the obesity rate in America was 33.8% with an astounding 71% of the entire population overweight. What happened over the last 47 years to cause this to happen? First of all, many people worked blue collar manual labor jobs in 1961, today, many more people work at jobs that require very little physical activity. Secondly, food has become much cheaper and easier to get over the last 47 years. Inexpensive fast food restaurants are everywhere and the big box stores sell huge amounts of food very cheap. The third, more recent and most disturbing trend is the low activity level of many of our kids. Computer games have replaced outdoor activities and sports for many of our children over the last 20 years.

The obesity rates for children have risen drastically over the last 20 years. In 2008, the obesity rate for children aged 6-11 hit a high of 19.6% and is rising quickly. There is a clear relationship between obese parents and obese children. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychology states that a child has a 50% chance of being obese if one parent is obese and an 80% chance if both parents are obese. To make matters worse, they also found that a child who is obese between the ages of 10-13 has an 80% chance of being obese as an adult. Poor lifestyle habits learned from their parents become very hard to break in later years. These are staggering and sobering statistics!

The costs of this epidemic are immense. The Center for Disease Control estimates that obesity related health conditions cost our health care system $147 billion annually. This is equal to almost 10% of all money spent in America on health care last year. With the huge debate about rising health care costs going on right now, this cannot be overlooked. And what about the cost to our society and culture, are we doomed to see our nation become an unhealthy, overweight, second rate country.

So, the cause of obesity is much more complicated than a math equation. In our quest to improve our society we have created a culture that eats more and moves less. Computers that were designed to allow us to work faster and more efficient have become the preferred “activity” for many kids and adults. We have become lazy and complacent, waiting and hoping for that magic diet or pill that will fix us. Or worse yet, we resort to surgery to fix us after years of neglecting our bodies.

There is no easy answer to this problem. It is going to take an effort by each and every one of us to take care of our own health and to also try and help our friends and family. If you have a problem with weight, seek out help and support from legitimate sources, don’t try to lose weight with quick fad diets, weight loss pills or surgery. If you know someone with a weight problem, talk to them and encourage them to seek the right kind of help. I have created this Lose Weight Help Site to help people who are trying to lose weight and live a healthy life. We must turn this trend around now!

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Best Exercise for Weight Loss

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There is an ongoing debate among fitness professionals about what is the the best exercise for weight loss. Some say sustained aerobic activity is best because it keeps the heart rate in a fat burning zone for long periods. Others say that interval training is the best exercise for weight loss because it gives you a longer metabolic after burn effect. Still others argue that weight training is the best exercise for weight loss because muscle burns more calories than fat during work and at rest.

While you can make a case for any one of these methods, all of these arguments are missing this main point. The best exercise for weight loss is one that you will do consistently over a long period of time. All of the above mentioned methods are worthless if you don’t do them or quit after a short period. Forcing yourself or letting someone force you into a program you don’t like or that doesn’t fit your abilities is a recipe for failure.

So, how do you determine which is the best exercise for weight loss for you? The most important thing is to find an aerobic type activity that you consider fun and will get your heart rate up for at least 30 minutes each time you do it. Maybe it is something you did when you were were younger, a sport you played in high school. Whether it is running, cycling, swimming, tennis or some other activity does not matter, what’s important is that if you like it you will be much more likely to stick with it. The fact is, that if you do not like the activity you will not stick with it very long and it will not be effective.

Once you discover the aerobic type activity that you like, find a club or group you can join to do it with. People are much more likely to stick with an activity if they do it in a group environment with others who also love it. This adds an important social element for motivation, encouragement and support. It also adds a challenge element as there will be people in the group better at the activity than you are. You are going to want to establish a regular schedule for your aerobic type activity of at least 3 days per week.

Once you have established the aerobic type activity that you will be doing consistently, you have your personal best exercise for weight loss in place. For good overall fitness, you should also set aside 30-45 minutes on three of your off days for light to moderate resistance training, core training and stretching. Your resistance training can consist of weight training, body weight exercises, resistance bands or any combination of the three. I will cover resistance training, core training and stretching in more detail in future articles.

The bottom line is that the best exercise for weight loss is one that you will do consistently over a long period of time because you love it. If you can find an activity that you have a passion for it doesn’t seem like exercise. Proper nutrition also plays a huge role, but that issue has been and will be covered in separate articles.

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Best Exercise Equipment to use at Home

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There are dozens of companies selling numerous different types of exercise machines and exercise equipment for home use. You see the infomercials on television every night for the latest gadgets, the Air Climber, Leg Magic, or The Bean. The claims for these devices are all the same, lose weight and inches fast, ten pounds in 2 weeks, 4 inches in 10 days, etc… Do these devices really provide these types of benefits. No, they do not! What you find out when you receive these devices is that they all come with a highly restrictive diet you are required to follow in order get the results promised. Of course, very little or no mention of this is provided during the infomercial.

The other big problem with these devices is they typically have you doing one type of movement over and over again. This is not the way to get in shape or lose weight. Sure, you may burn a few calories at first, but your body will eventually adapt to the exercise giving you less and less benefit. The other problem is they do not provide a balanced workout, you end up overworking certain muscle groups while completely neglecting others. This can cause a number of different health problems including back issues and muscle imbalance related injuries.

So, what is the best exercise equipment for home. I would recommend the type of equipment that many personal trainers use to get their clients in shape. There is a reason why most all of the top trainers and top training studios use the same type of equipment. It works! Things like bosu balls, stability balls, medicine balls and resistance bands are excellent for providing full-body functional training and they are the best types of exercise equipment for home.
For information on where to purchase this type of equipment at the lowest price, go to: best home exercise equipment

If you are looking for home gym exercise equipment for home use, I would recommend the Total Gym. It is a compact, studio grade machine that uses your own body weight to complete dozens of different exercises. I used the Total Gym at Crunch Fitness to train personal training clients and myself with great results.
For more information on the Total Gym and to get a great discount go to: best home gym equipment

Of course, no exercise program will be very effective if your eating habits are bad. No amount of exercise will completely compensate for this. However, the last thing you want to do when you are trying to lose weight and get in shape is to go on a restrictive fad diet. You need to learn how to eat the right way with the foods you like and when eating away from home.
For the best program to teach you the things you must know to lose weight and keep it off, go to: best nutrition based weight loss program

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How Much to Exercise to Lose Weight

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As a personal trainer that specializes in weight loss, the question I get asked most often is how much to exercise to lose weight. The question is not an easy one to answer for a number of reasons. In this article I will explain the most important aspects of weight loss and why exercise is not necessarily one of them.

Many people believe that the secret to weight loss is exercise. They think that if they just exercise more the extra pounds will melt away. When I begin working with a new client, inevitably the question of how much to exercise to lose weight comes up. Unfortunately, some personal trainers take advantage of this thinking by recommending strenuous four and five day workout programs for their clients. While this makes a lot of money for the trainer, these programs typically end in failure because it is very difficult for most clients to sustain them long-term.

The bottom line is that most weight gain is due to poor eating habits and exercising more will rarely compensate for this. In fact, I have seen many cases where people join a gym and work out 4-5 days a week and start gaining weight. This is typically due to two factors, first of all they begin gaining muscle mass, which weighs more than fat. Secondly, and most common, people start rewarding themselves for working out by eating more. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “I just worked out, I can eat anything I want!” or “I deserve this after working so hard!” This may be true if you were a world class athlete training 4-5 hours per day, but it is not accurate after one-hour of spin class, dance class or weight training.

Exercise is important for overall health, but by itself it is a lousy weight loss method. So, we are back to the question of how much to exercise to lose weight. My answer is that this is the wrong question. To lose weight and maintain a healthy weight long-term you must learn correct eating habits. You will notice that I did not say you should go on a diet. Most diets are too restrictive and are not sustainable long-term. When you eat and how often you eat is many times more important than what you eat! You need to learn how to eat in the real world, including how to eat at parties and restaurants and while traveling. You need to learn fool proof methods that stop you from overeating. You need to understand how food works in your body and how your body uses food.

I found a great teaching program that does all of this and more. To learn how to finally lose that weight for good go here now >>>

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How to Eat and Lose Weight

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How many times have you been told you need to eat less or eat foods you don’t like to lose weight? You try fad diet after fad diet or tons of exercise and just keep on adding weight. So, can you learn how to eat and lose weight? There is a solution that will work for you without drastically changing the foods you eat, starving yourself, or increasing your activity. In fact, you may find you are eating more than before and you are still losing weight. It requires a certain amount of discipline, but by following the program you will learn how to eat and lose weight.

The first thing the program will teach you is the importance of eating breakfast. You just cannot skip the most important meal of the day! Your body is in starvation mode and your metabolism is in low gear, you must eat as soon as possible after you wake up. After you go through the program you will understand why you must get your metabolism cranked up and burning calories as soon as possible.

The second most important rule you will learn is to eat whenever you are hungry. I know, this goes against all those starvation fad diets out there, but it’s true. If you are going to learn how to eat and lose weight you cannot wait until you are starving to eat. Believe it or not, you will find out why when you eat is much more critical than what you eat!

Another important aspect of learning how to eat and lose weight is understanding the importance of eating slowly. You will be shown numerous methods and tricks to make this a permanent habit. Eating fast is one of the biggest reasons we eat too much during a meal. It is a habit that must be broken if you want to know how to eat and lose weight.

Just as important as learning how to eat and lose weight is to learn how to stop eating when you are full. If you are eating slowly you will get full on a lot less food. The program will show you how to resist the urge to keep eating just because it tastes good.

When you use the program to learn these rules and the other rules included, you will see the weight come off quickly! This program is not a diet! It is an educational tool that teaches you how to eat and lose weight with the foods you love. The program also includes a great on-line software program for building meal plans and shopping lists and a helpful members area for support. In addition, you will learn powerful methods that will teach you how to eat and lose weight at parties and when eating out at restaurants.

I have been involved with health, fitness and weight loss for many years and this is the best on-line program I have ever come across. You pay only a on-time low fee, there is a 60 day money back guarantee if you are not satisfied and you get free software upgrades for life! I have enthusiastically recommended this program to my friends and family members.

To learn more and get 50% off the standard price go here now: How to Eat and Lose Weight

I want to help you succeed. If you have any questions, or need any type of support, feel free to e-mail me personally at: bob@loseweighthelpsite.com

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Water the Secret Weight Loss Fluid

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Our bodies are made up of approximately 75% water, but few of us drink enough of it. Instead, many of us consume coffee, sodas and sports drinks for hydration. Water is critical for our body’s physiological functions and can also help us maintain proper weight. The hunger and thirst centers of the brain are very close to each other, many times when we think we are hungry, we are actually thirsty. The next time you feel hungry between meals try drinking water instead of eating and see if the hunger feeling goes away. Also, in general, make sure you consume plenty of water every day. A good rule of thumb is to drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water per day. Start first thing in the morning and continue drinking until you go to bed (and keep a water bottle on your nightstand in case you wake up thirsty during the night). Buy some sport bottles and keep water in your car, at work and carry it with you whenever possible. If you do this, you will allow your body to function properly and also help curb your between meals hunger.

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Four Simple Rules for Weight Loss

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There are a number of reasons why people have difficulty losing and maintaining a healthy weight. Busy schedules, too much fast food, traveling, genetics, not enough exercise. Many people try fad diet after fad diet and just keep on adding weight. However, there is a simple solution that will work for most people without changing the foods you eat or increasing your activity. It requires a certain amount of discipline, but by following these four simple rules you can lose weight and keep it off.

Rule 1 – Eat Breakfast - Do not skip the most important meal of the day! Your body is in starvation mode and your metabolism is in low gear. Get up early enough to eat breakfast and eat as soon as possible after you wake up. This will get your metabolism cranked up and burning calories as soon as possible.
Bonus tip - Add a little lean protein to your breakfast to increase satiation and really get the metabolism fires burning!

Rule 2 – Eat when you are hungry – Don’t wait until you are starving to eat, you should be eating every three to four hours. Use the 1-10 hunger scale with 1 being the hungriest you have ever been. Never let yourself go below a 3!
Bonus tip - Every week buy a bunch of healthy snack bars and other healthy items and keep them in your office and car where they are easy to get.

Rule 3 – Eat slowly - Take your time! Enjoy your food, put down the fork or sandwich between bites. Chew slowly and thoroughly and don’t take another bite until you have swallowed the last.
Bonus tip - Try not to eat while working or distracted like while driving or watching TV. Give yourself at least 15-20 minutes of undistracted time to eat. You will enjoy your food more and eat less.

Rule 4 – Stop when you are full. If you are eating slowly you will get full on a lot less food. Resist the urge to keep eating just because it tastes good. Don’t forget, you are going to eat again in 3-4 hours. Use the same 1-10 hunger scale above with 10 being the fullest you have ever been. Never let yourself go beyond a 7!
Bonus tip - At home, serve less food on smaller plates. In restaurants, share meals with someone, or ask for a box when you get your meal and put half away before you start.

Follow these rules consistently and watch the weight come off! Of course there is more to learn about proper nutrition and health habits, but these rules are a great start for most people even if you don’t change any other habits or the foods you eat.

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Genetically Obese Benefit the Most from Exercise

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A new long-term medical study, published recently in PLoS Medicine, has determined that people genetically predisposed to obesity actually benefit more from exercise than people with no genetic predisposition. The study, led by Dr Ruth Loos from the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit in Cambridge, U.K., evaluated more than 20,000 Britons aged 39 to 79. Researchers focused on persons with 12 genetic variants known to increase the risk of obesity, and calculated a genetic obesity-predisposition score for each individual. They then monitored the activity levels of each group based on their scores. Their finding showed that even those with very high scores for genetic obesity-predisposition showed significant weight control and health benefits from activity and exercise. In fact, the research showed that even moderate amounts of activity and exercise had significant benefits.

The main reason for these results is that people genetically predisposed to obesity have the most to lose (or gain) from exercise. The more someone is overweight the more they will benefit from exercise and weight loss. The problem is that many people equate exercise with a thin and sexy body. If they determine that this perfect look cannot be obtained they give up on exercising. The truth is those who are genetically predisposed to obesity will probably never have this type of body, no matter how hard they try. However, as the study shows, this should not be the reason to stop exercising. There are significant health benefits to exercise, even if the “perfect body” is never obtained. Being 30 or 40 pounds over your optimal weight is far better than being 60, 80 or 100+ pounds overweight. In addition, you will maintain far superior cardiovascular and muscle conditioning if you exercise on a consistent basis. You will also greatly reduce your risk of heart attacks, strokes and other illnesses.

This study should give hope to many people who believed there was nothing they could do to control their weight and their health. Although people with high genetic obesity-predisposition may never be thin, this study shows that they can control their weight within much healthier limits than was previously thought possible. Forget the idea of having a perfect body and do the best you can with what nature gave you. You will live a much longer and healthier life if you do.

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