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NOTICE: You should check out the diet that compliments the exercise! Click on the link.
www.bodyfatlosstoday.com
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Current levels of overweight and obese Americans, together with weight-related diseases, have
made weight control a major health priority in America. Yet statistics indicate that average weight
reduction on conventional diets adds up to a mere 5-8 pounds per year. So why do we find dieting
so difficult? According to a recent survey (1), the answer seems to be because we make 3 crucial
mistakes. These mistakes include: 1) we don't have a good enough incentive; 2) we allow
ourselves to go hungry; and 3) we can't cope with "bad days".
The weight loss survey conducted by annecollins.com asked dieters to select the three biggest
problems they faced when dieting. The most common problems reported were: "Inadequate
incentive to lose weight" (76%); "Hunger" (72%); and "Bad days" (70%). Although these results will
come as no surprise to most dieters, they highlight the importance of motivation in the dieting
process. Below we explore how these problems occur, and what steps you can take to overcome
them.
Why Do We Need an Incentive?
We gain weight because we take in more energy than we use. Either because we eat too many
calories, or burn too few, or both. So if we want to reduce weight, we need to improve our eating
and exercise habits. And this is not easy, because let's face it - old habits are not easily discarded,
especially if they involve cutting out our favorite treats. We need a powerful incentive to help us
change. Specifically, we need to answer this question: "How exactly will I benefit from losing
weight?"
When faced with this question, many dieters have no answer. Those who do, typically reply with:
"I'll feel better" or "my health will improve". Others explain they are trying to lose weight to please
their doctor, or their partner, or simply because they are "overweight". Unfortunately, none of these
reasons are strong enough to help us succeed. So when temptation strikes, we are unable to
resist.
So...What Type of Incentive is Best?
Our motivation to lose weight must be based on an intrinsic, specific benefit. Examples may
include an upcoming beach holiday, or a family occasion, or the achievement of a specific fitness
goal. It must be as specific as possible (general benefits are less useful) and ideally related to a
fixed date to create an "end goal". Losing weight to please others rarely works. The advice I give
to my clients is very simple: Do not bother dieting unless you have a good, internal incentive.
Because no matter how good the diet, no matter how valuable the exercise plan, unless you have
a powerful reason to change your habits, you won't succeed.
Hunger Kills Diets
Most dieters are still convinced that calories are their enemy. They think the less they eat, the
faster they are likely to lose weight. This is not true. In reality, the less we eat, the more our body
feels deprived and hungry, which makes it easier to fall into temptation. The human body is trained
to eat when hungry and no amount of willpower will neutralize this basic urge. This is why binge
eating is such a common response to low calorie diets.
2. How to Avoid Hunger
No rocket science here. Avoiding hunger simply means eating regularly throughout the day, and
keeping your calorie intake above 1000-1200 per day. This prevents hunger, thus reducing the
urge to overeat, and in addition helps to maintain a regular high level of calorie-burning which
allow your body to go into deprivation mode. As long as your calories are in check, don't be afraid
of eating. The real danger is in not eating enough and ending up hungry and depressed. This is a
recipe for a binge.
"Bad Days" and The Problem of Perfection
No dieter is perfect. The truth is, all dieters experience "bad days" or fall into occasional
temptation. Sadly, most dieters insist on "being perfect". They cannot tolerate lapses. When they
"mess up" they fall to pieces. "I'm useless! I'm a failure!" they cry. Overwhelmed by guilt about not
being perfect, they then quit their diet in disgust.
It's the Guilt That Does the Damage
In this situation, the actual binge is typically fairly harmless. I mean, we need to eat a huge
quantity of food (3500+ calories) to gain even one pound of weight. The real damage is caused by
the ensuing guilt and continuation of binge if we have "given up" on our diet. And this is what we
need to address.
Guilt Comes From Trying to Be Perfect
All dieters make mistakes and this is perfectly normal. Having an occasional binge is no cause for
alarm. Even my most successful clients - those who have lost 100+ pounds - had regular lapses.
The difference is, they didn't see themselves as "perfect" individuals. So they felt "entitled" to
make occasional mistakes, and so should you. Once you accept this, you will find dieting a whole
lot easier.
We Need Support to Make These Changes
In order to overcome the 3 problems described above, an essential first step is to find proper
support. This is just as important as choosing the right diet plan, because no matter how good the
diet, it can't motivate you to stay on track. Dieting is ten times easier when you receive
encouragement from others. When we are alone and isolated, the smallest obstacle can seem like
a mountain. But when we have people behind us, anything is possible.
Notes:
(1) Weight Loss Survey by annecollins.com. A total of 17,403 subjects replied to the survey. They
were asked to choose 3 from a list of 10 diet-problems. The results were as follows:
(1) Inadequate Incentive (76%).
(2) Hunger (72%).
(3) Bad Days (70%).
(4) Boredom (69%).
(5) Stress (60%).
(6) Interference From Others (51%).
(7) Too Much Eating Out (32%).
(8) Eating on The Run (28%).
3. (9) Ill-health (5%).
(10) Lack of Sleep (1%).
==== ====
NOTICE: You should check out the diet that compliments the exercise! Click on the link.
www.bodyfatlosstoday.com
==== ====