How to lose weight properly

Many people who are trying to lose weight are looking for the right solution – only to feel frustrated. They often try a diet, then another... then give up, not knowing that they should give up such temporary, crazy diets that promise success only in the short term.

I recently came across a series of books at Papemelroti’s store along Roces Ave. in Quezon City. One was entitled If I Really Wanted to Lose Weight I Would... which offers a more balanced approach to dieting. It includes baby steps that lead to changes in thought, focus, and habits. The book will inspire you to make important lifestyle changes. Here are some of them:

• Get key starting numbers. Before you commit yourself to stand firm until the weight comes off, collect all the important numbers related to your health like blood pressure, cholesterol count, blood chemistry breakdown, and weight. Such a checkup will isolate any specific problem you may need to tell your physician.

• Ask my doctor to help me set realistic goals. Ask him or her to help you establish the right goal weight, taking into consideration your bone structure, age, family history, and any special medical needs you may have. It’s a mistake to base your goal on media images of body size.The perfect weight differs with every person.

• Learn more about how the body uses food. Do you know which foods are fattening and why? What is required for overall good nutrition? What constitutes a balanced diet? Which foods are rich in which nutrients? What foods trigger your metabolism? A responsible weight loss plan should always include education about healthful eating. Don’t rely on books that present fad approaches to foods or offer a "miracle" food supplement. Choose information sources that emphasize nutrients, a combination of exercise and eating, and a balanced menu. As in any aspect of life, knowledge is an important tool for success.

• Exercise more. Despite its benefits, we can all think of a hundred reasons why we can’t exercise in a given day – time, fatigue, inconvenience. Weight loss actually has a simple formula: less input of calories + greater output of energy= weight loss.

Trying to lose weight without exercising is like trying to climb a mountain without training. Brief workouts, walking, jogging, swimming, or lifting weights should be added to your daily routine. Find activities you enjoy and start slowly. Your body will quickly begin to convert fat to muscle. Over time, your metabolism will change. This means that keeping weight off will be easier.

• Avoid fad diets. Grapefruit... liquid protein... lettuce and cottage cheese... all fruit... all vegetables... no carbs... no sugar... no salt. What do all these diets have in common? No balance. Fad diets work in the short term because they have fewer calories. But over the long haul, they can deplete the body of vital nutrients and throw your system way out of balance. They become fad diets because they don’t satisfy over time, and they are never a good way to keep weight off. Choose to adopt a plan that can be used not only for weight loss but also as the foundation of a healthy lifestyle.

These are just some of the still so many enlightening approaches to losing weight. I am looking forward to a part two of course because I want all of you who are starting to improve your bodies to be victorious.

’Til next week.

E-mail me at: babyjackster@yahoo.com