Today when we ask a question like 'how do I lose weight?' we expect an instant answer! An expectation created by the rapid response from Google and instant messaging.
We want to good look and we want it quickly. Our minds seduced by flawless Instagram appearances, shiny object advertising and scammy marketing promises.
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Many people want to sculpt their bodies to achieve the magazine-cover look. While others are more conscious about their overall health and fitness.
As a result, gyms, health spas, plastic surgery clinics and other centres have mushroomed to cater to the needs of both these "look good" and health and fitness needs.
Wellness and Health
With social media and advertising our senses are constantly bombarded with the latest programmes, weight loss products, exercise machines, apps and other ways to improve fitness and wellness. Many are bought and many are installed - and many are soon unused!
But you cannot build a beautiful body by exercise alone. The food that you choose to consume also has a vital part to play.
To be fit and healthy needs an exercise program combined with good eating.
Eating for Health
What you consume is as essential as your exercise. The right food provides fuel for healthy growth and to repair worn-out muscles and stressed out nerves. Remember that you are what you eat. Organisations and individuals have created an abundance of dieting strategies, views, programs, and methods, with a neverending flow of new versions.
However, many of these diets are highly questionable as they are unbalanced and unsustainable.
Some eating plans advocate high carbs and low fat, whereas others promote high fat and low carbs.
The significant difference between these two approaches is in the balance. Simply high carbohydrate plans concentrate on having a high proportion of carbohydrate-rich foods. In contrast, high-fat diets endorse a higher than the recommended intake of fat-rich foods.
Carbohydrate feeds glycogen production, a glucose complex that the body stores in the liver and muscles to supply an energy supply for daily living. Often, carbohydrates have a bad reputation, but it's not carbohydrates that are bad. It is the processed junk foods that are full of carbs, calories and high levels of fat.
The other energy store is in fat which is the richest source of calories—containing more than twice the amount of calories per gram than carbohydrates. However, only once the glycogen stores are empty will the fat be broken down and used. This form of energy is less efficient than the supply from glycogen.
Glycogen provides essential energy for the brain and the rest of the body to function.
So which one works better and how should one choose? A low carbohydrate and high-fat diet or the other way around.
Research has shown that to achieve sustainable weight loss, an individual must choose a formula that suits their food preferences, lifestyle and medical profile.
The only critical factor for weight loss is that calories in must be less than calories out!
How To Lose Weight for YOU
To efficiently melt off excess weight and keep it off, you must find an eating program that suits you. Other essential elements of the plan are balance, moderation, and variation. Taking extreme care to include essential nutrients and other essential substances necessary for healthy body functioning.
High carbohydrates and low fat; Low fat and high carbohydrates; find the plan which works for you.
Your quest for a slim and healthy body does not have to be a slog. Find a programme that offers variety, not one stuck in a narrow uninspiring food rut for life.
Who knows? You may discover that even broccoli and spinach offer some great options.
Conclusion
To date no-one has found the how to lose weight magic formula.
In simple terms to lose weight you must use more energy than you consume. But this is oversimplified and easier said than done. To make the weight loss journey more manageable and more sustainable, here are some simple actions to take.
Remove temptation. Clear your house of all the unhealthy, easy to consume snacks and foods. Replace them with tasty, healthy alternatives.
Become more aware and conscious of what you are eating and the contents. Many unhealthy ingredients are hidden in so called "health" products.
Eat more healthy foods, eat less junk food, build some muscle and find an exercise plan that you enjoy. Find the balance that suits you, and it'll change your life forever.
Weight loss and fitness go hand in hand to improve your quality of life. A lifelong fitness junky, Patrick Millerd would like to help you find your ideal weight loss and wellness solution.