A Guide To Losing Weight

It's estimated that 265 million people around the world go on a diet each year. Given the current rates of obesity in the world today, we can clearly see the success rate is extremely low.
We should ditch the word "diet" entirely. Why?   Because not only does that word have negative connotations, it also usually means you're only doing it for a short period of time, often focusing primarily on cutting calories as low as possible. This makes nutritionists/personal trainers like me want to shout from the rooftops that severe caloric restriction—aka dieting—is not the answer, "Yes, cutting calories leads to weight loss. Plenty of diets cut calories seriously low, at least at first, and they get results. But not forever."
Once you stop getting those short-term results, continuing to under eat can leave you feeling awful, dragging through (or skipping) workouts, and setting yourself up for disappointment.
You need a more strategic approach than just "eat less." And it starts with how you think. Instead of thinking of food as something to limit, think of the food you put in your body as fuel for the healthy lifestyle that you're building!
For many people, the changes needed to get there aren't as big as they think. You might get great results from simply:

• Replacing your usual high-calorie or sugary drink with zero-calorie liquids or cutting back on the amount you drink.
• Creating a plan for the one "problem meal" each day where you are most likely to overeat or eat fast food rather than food packed with nutrients, like low-fat protein or whole grains.

Maybe lunch is your weak spot because you leave the house in a rush and don't pack one, or because your workmates like to eat out. Maybe it's dinner, because you haven't eaten anything all day and you come home exhausted. Maybe breakfast is a sugar-bomb and has been since you were a kid. "No matter which meal is the biggest problem, fixing it—and just it—can be a huge win. What's better, it requires far less work on your part than trying to fix every meal all at once. In many cases, it's as simple as prioritizing protein in a meal that was otherwise going to be empty calories."
Speaking of calories: yes, they matter when your goal is to lose weight! But before you start cutting them, start by establishing where you're at right now, and simply tracking the way you eat now. Even if you just do it for a brief period, it can be a game-changer for the long term.
Tracking your nutrition, Salter says, can help in several ways, including:

• Helping you see portions as decisions, not just something that gets served to you
• Revealing the "hidden calories" in your diet that you may not have seen otherwise

For some people, simply having that info is enough to make a meaningful change.
When we introduce a timeline into our fat-loss quest, things can quickly get tricky. "How do I lose weight for health?" is a very different question than "How do I lose belly fat in two weeks?" But television and the popularity of drastic stories sometimes alter our perception of what is realistic and sustainable.
To add to that, our "more is better" mentality often tells us that if removing 300 calories from our daily nutrition leads to a small amount of physique change, then imagine what taking out 600 or 1000 calories can do!
Nothing could be further from the truth. Cutting your daily calorie intake too low (for example, under 1200 calories) brings lots of risk and little reward. Yes, there are healthy ways to lose fat faster, but they are most effective once you have the basic healthy behaviours mastered first.
Without those behaviours nailed down, if you're hungry all the time, are ruled by cravings, and have no energy, the chances of you maintaining your diet are minuscule. You may lose what you want, but as soon as you go back to eating your normal foods in the normal amounts, you'll likely regain all you've lost, and in some cases add on an extra few pounds.
How Do I Lose Weight Fast?
When we introduce a timeline into our fat-loss quest, things can quickly get tricky. "How do I lose weight for health?" is a very different question than "How do I lose belly fat in two weeks?" But television and the popularity of drastic stories sometimes alter our perception of what is realistic and sustainable.
To add to that, our "more is better" mentality often tells us that if removing 300 calories from our daily nutrition leads to a small amount of physique change, then imagine what taking out 600 or 1000 calories can do!
Nothing could be further from the truth. Cutting your daily calorie intake too low (for example, under 1200 calories) brings lots of risk and little reward. Yes, there are healthy ways to lose fat faster, but they are most effective once you have the basic healthy behaviours mastered first.
Without those behaviours nailed down, if you're hungry all the time, are ruled by cravings, and have no energy, the chances of you maintaining your diet are minuscule. You may lose what you want, but as soon as you go back to eating your normal foods in the normal amounts, you'll likely regain all you've lost, and in some cases add on an extra few pounds.
Your Attitude
Not every day is going to be a great day, and sure, you'll encounter the occasional hiccup or low point when it comes to your nutrition and training plan. Know that now and accept it. But if you stay dedicated to controlling portions and being a little more active, you'll slowly but surely see those pounds come off.
By far, the most important part of implementing healthier habits into your lifestyle is bettering your self-image and happiness. How you look is not nearly as important as how you feel. Maintain positivity and you'll see the changes you want to see!

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