Lose Weight Fast

Are you frustrated with dieting? You are not alone. Here are some of the reasons people give up on their diets or, worse, gain back more than they lost. Some of these may go against what you have been taught – but please keep an open mind and learn important ways to meet the challenge

We all want to lose weight fast but if you are considering a fad or a quick weight loss diet be aware this is not a good way to lose weight permanently. Remember you want to lose fat from your body not your muscle. Usually the first weight loss you have is due to the loss of water as the body flushes out waste buildup.

If you are following a diet that severely restricts the calories you take in then your body will react by going into “starvation mode”. It will cut back on the calories it burns and slow down its metabolism to ensure its energy needs are in balance. It starts storing fat for future use and instead burns muscle tissue. Not a good thing!

The body then begins sending messages – cravings for sweet and fatty foods. Remember it is in survival mode. This is when you may find yourself binging. This is your body demanding what it needs. But you may be disgusted with yourself and go off your diet. Your body is not sure if this increased intake of calories will continue so, just to be on the safe side, it continues hoarding fat – just in case. This often leaves you, the dieter, weighing more than when you started the diet – and so begins the yo-yo dieting cycle.

To avoid this disastrous ring-around, eat nutritious food, with an emphasis on vegetables, meat and fish, and fruit and cereals. I know, easier said than done. So it is important to take one day at a time. If you get cravings for a non-nutritious food, say to yourself, “Not today, it is more important that I feel good about myself today”. Remember, it is all in your mind and you can control your mind. Then mentally pat yourself on the back for making a good choice.

We now know that white refined flour, pasta, and rice have the same effect as sugar in the body. Most of the vitamins, minerals and fiber content have been removed and when eaten they raise the insulin level in the blood and are converted to fat in the body.

What is required for good health – and a slim body – are the complex carbohydrates contained in whole grains, such as whole wheat flour, brown rice, oatmeal and other whole grains. These contain fiber and take longer to digest in the body, therefore do not cause sharp increases in the insulin level. Thus our metabolism remains at a more constant level, providing us with energy throughout the day.

Over the past few years there has been a great push to eat a diet very low in fat. Now we are learning that we do need some fat in our diets. However, not all fats are good for us. It is best to use canola, olive and flaxseed oil which are low in saturated fats and high in mono and polyunsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats are also found in salmon, fish oil, corn, soy, safflower and sunflower oils. These help lower the total cholesterol and particularly the LDL (bad) cholesterol. Nuts, canola and olive oils are also high in monounsaturated fats, which help to lower the LDL cholesterol.

So the secret – if it is a secret – to avoiding the yo-yo dieting, is to eat nutritious and delicious foods. This doesn’t have to be drudgery; there are many scrumptious recipes. Plan ahead to use them. Live for today. Feel good.

The Author: Hilary Stewardson

Go to The Diet Solution Program for more information.