Lose Weight Diet - Part 1
There are many people struggling to lose weight these days. This is true for most, more than ever in the history of mankind. The majority of our North American population is overweight and it doesn’t look like that will stop anytime soon. Most of us are depressed and lack the self-confidence to achieve our goals in life. Some people try, and some people fail, but those who are truly successful in looking and feeling their best are the ones who are truly sick and tired of being stuck in the same patterns over and over again. However, in order to truly achieve lasting change we must completely take a completely different approach to losing weight. The problem with our society is that we think that there is a quick fix for everything. We think that whenever we get sick, we can take something over-the-counter and then we’ll somehow magically be healed. Or if we acquire a disease, we mask the symptoms by taking a drug prescribed by our doctors. The same goes for losing weight. We think that because we are overweight, we must somehow take a drug, herb, or do a countless amount of crunches in order to lose the fat. Unfortunately things aren’t so easy. There’s a reason why we got this in the first place. Any disease or sickness, including being over weight is just a symptom of something much deeper. And if we wish to reverse such a state, then we must totally change our mindset. Quick weight loss can occur, but only if we decide to work hard and take things seriously. A real lose weight diet requires will power as well as sticking to a routine of some sort. You must also conform to a strict exercise regimen and adopt proper eating habits. There’s no way around this!
What generally comes to mind when one mentions a “lose weight diet”? The most essential fact one needs to know in order to lose weight safely is that they MUST burn more calories than you consume throughout the day. The opposite is true if you want to gain weight. Calories are energy that we get through our diet. You can calculate your caloric intake by looking at the package that your food initially came in. If you are ignoring this one simple rule, then you will never be able to lose weight because it is physiologically impossible. However, not all calories are created equally and if you want to safely lose weight, you cannot just munch on potato chips and chocolate. These types of processed foods are what some people refer to as “empty calories”. Most people think that just by eating less, and not consuming proper foods consisting of healthy proteins, carbohydrates and fats that they can lose weight. You will still lose weight this way, but you won’t lose much fat. You will mainly lose lean muscle mass since the calories you are consuming are mainly from saturated and trans fats. Even if you are burning more calories than you are consuming, this is a very dangerous way to lose weight. You must eat small meals regularly every 2-3 hours throughout the day in the right ratios of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. A good ratio to eat would be 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates and 20% fats. Don’t fall for the myths out there that you must cut out all fats and carbohydrates out of your diet in order to lose weight. Not only is this ineffective but also extremely unhealthy and dangerous. Our bodies are made up of these macronutrients and micronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water), so it is essential that we get these through our diets to sustain optimal health. When your body is receiving the right nutrients in the right ratios, then your body will naturally go to its natural ideal body weight. We just have to feed it correctly!
Tags: diet, lose weight, lose weight diet, weight loss