| |
| |
|
Weight Loss Information |
|
Throw Out the Scale
Do you know someone that is obsessed with the scale? Someone who hops on the scale morning, noon and night? And stepping off each time with feelings of frustration or disappointment? With obesity on the rise and weight loss a common household topic, its easy to become obsessed with weight, diets and the scale. This multi-billion dollar industry brings about constant marketing and advertisement on the next solution or quick fix that hits sixty five percent of American's weight issues. The question is, what are the facts about losing weight that marketers are not saying? Is it that we have unrealistic goals? "How fast can I lose weight?" This is the first question most people ask before starting a diet or weight loss program. If you have this line of thinking when you start, you are just setting yourself up for failure. Sure, there are many diets out there that guarantee the loss of ten pounds over the weekend or fifty pounds in a month. The truth is, this is not realistic and for most people struggling with their weight, unobtainable. Its time to lose the quick fix mentality and realize how long change really takes. Calculate how long it took for you to get where you are today. Remember that time and know that it is going to take even longer to undo. How much can you actually lose? Losing one to two pounds per week is realistic. This will shock most people, especially if they feel they need to drop thirty pounds and in a limited time. Think about it. One pound of fat is 3500 calories. If you were to lose two pounds a week, or 7000 calories, that would be equivalent to three sticks of butter. That's a lot of calories (and hard work) to shed two pounds. Would it be realistic to think that you could shed 35,000 calories (10 pounds) over a weekend? From an exercise perspective: The average person walking on a treadmill for an hour will burn 400 calories. The average person on an elliptical for an hour will burn 600 calories. (These are just averages since fitness level plays a role in caloric expenditure). Without taking anything else into consideration that translates in 11.5 hours on the elliptical and 17.5 on the treadmill! This is excessive, unrealistic and unsafe. From a diet perspective: even if you didn't eat all weekend, this caloric amount could not be lost. The truth is that your body needs a certain amount of calories a day to function properly (basal metabolic rate). If you go below that calorie intake, your body will protect itself by metabolically slowing down and storing more calories as fat. This minimum daily food consumption makes large amounts of weight loss impossible in such a short period of time. Do you see how hard it is to lose weight? There is no overnight process or quick fix that will make it go any faster. A combination of decreased calories and exercise over time will shed the pounds. We all know someone that has gone on a diet and lost a tremendous amount of weight on the scale. If what was just said is true then how did they do that? The problem with the scale is that it measures weight, without consideration of fat and lean tissue weight. This fat and lean tissue composition is going to make the difference not the weight on the scale. Muscle is more dense than fat. You can build muscle, lose fat, and become healthier overall and still appear to have gained weight on the scale. At the same time you are "firmer" and wearing two pants sizes smaller. This number on the scale can cause frustration and disappointment in someone's attempt to lose weight. When someone first goes on a diet, which is basically a low calorie diet, they will start to drop weight (we drop weight when calories burned are more than calories taken in). A common factor of diets along with less calories consumed, is the restriction or limit in carbohydrate consumption. Glucose or carbohydrate is the fuel that feeds our brain along with our nervous and immune system. When we restrict them, our body starts to break down our storage form (glycogen) for use. Since carbohydrates are seventy five percent water this will result in the release of water from the body. A gallon of water weighs 8.5 pounds. So you can see how this could give the illusion of a victory on the scale. But remember this is just water weight, not fat weight. As soon as you return back to consuming carbohydrates (which will happen, remember glucose is the only fuel that feeds your brain, nervous system and immune system) the weight on the scale will be back. There went victory. Here's something else that is happening. When you run out of stored carbohydrates your body will start to break down muscle to feed the brain and necessary systems. This results in additional weight loss from lean tissue and the water needed to remove the wastes of protein breakdown. If lean tissue is not available, fat will be partially broken down for fuel (cannot be completely broken down unless you have glucose in your system) and additional water will be released to remove byproducts of this process. So again when you step on the scale, you will see a change in "weight", but remember it is water and your muscle that you lost, not fat. The problem with this victory is that you may have lost weight on the scale but you have also altered your body composition and not in a healthy way. Even thought the scale says you weigh less, you have lost muscle mass and now have a higher percentage of fat! Along with this change comes a sluggish metabolism and altered hormones that control your metabolic rate and appetite. Since this is a temporary fix, soon you will be back to your old ways. Chances are you will gain the weight you lost and then some. Learning healthy eating habits along with a proper exercise regimen is the key to success. Losing the weight is only the first step. Keeping it off is something that will continually have to be addressed. It should be about losing weight for a lifetime not an occasion. Working hard for three months to go back to past behaviors will be a setup for failure. Health is a never-ending process. Its time to lose the quick fix mentality, take the first step towards a new you and throw out the scale. References: Katch F.I., V. L Katch, W. McCardle. Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition and Human Performance. Lippincott , Williams and Wilkins. Fourth edition, 1993. ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins. Sixth Edition, 137-164, 2000. Teri Mosey is an Exercise Physiologist and Instructor for Health & Fitness Certifications. Peak Performance Fitness; http://www.peakptfit.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Weight-Loss - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
What is Your Healthy Body Weight Everywhere we look in the western world we are inundated with pictures, images, icons and inferences of the 'perfect' female shape! The truth is that many of these images are altered or enhanced in some way and do not depict the typical female form. The pressure to lose weight is immense when we are bombarded every day with media selling products based on slimness, sex appeal and fashion. Are you Making these Weight Loss Mistakes? There are all kinds of fad diets and quick fixes to weight loss out there. In reality, if you want to lose weight (besides liposuction) there is only one way to do it - that is to burn more calories than you consume. Hypnotize the Pounds Away: Weight Loss Motivation Through Hypnosis Many individuals these days, male or female, young or old, are struggling with weight management. Concerns with rising cases obesity are no longer based upon a Hollywood conception of what is the appropriate body size. Have You Given Up on Weight Loss? Have You Given Up on Weight Loss? by Greg Landry, M.S I receive several email messages every day from people who have given up on weight loss. Burn Fat Not Sugar! You are going to be pleasantly surprised! Most people think that in order to lose weight you have to do strenuous exercise, continuously, and lots of it! Well, Guess what? NOT TRUE!I know you are thinking? That's crazy! It doesn't make any sense! I thought the same thing, when I first heard this. But it all comes down to understanding how your body works. Sweet Low Carb Foods - How Do They Do That? If you're a low carb diet enthusiast, you've probably tried some of those tasty low carbohydrate bars, candies or maybe even broke down and baked a loaf of that really easy to make and great tasting low carb banana bread.And after getting your head around the concept of 'net carbs', you may still be wondering what are those sweeteners listed on the labels, such as mannitol, maltitol, sorbitol and others, and how they fit into your Atkins, Protein Power, South Beach or other diets. Cellulite: Do We Have To Lump It? What is cellulite? Ask a doctor and he will probably say there is no such thing: it is just another word for fat. Ask a woman who has it and you will get a very vivid description usually including the words "orange peel". Magnetic Weight Loss -- Does It Work? Magnetic weight loss is the newest fad diet supplement to hit the net. What is it and how does it work. Low-Carb Diets: Are You Losing More than Weight? The average American eats about twice as much protein than what they require. Some people, in the pursuit of thinness, are going on low-carb diets and are eating up to four times the protein their body needs. After WLS: How To Avoid Mourning The Loss of Food A frequent question brand-new gastric bypass patients ask is "How do you deal with the loss of food?"In the first few weeks out of surgery when patients can only eat is Jell-O or protein shakes or broth patients frequently report grieving for food. After all, food is a beloved friend of the morbidly obese. Weight Loss Pills: Miracle Drugs or Money Wasters? Losing weight is a lifelong commitment. It takes patience and self-discipline to stick with a weight loss program and wait for the end results. Dash Diet -- Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force exerted on artery walls when the heart is beating and when it is at rest. Eat What You Like and Still Lose Weight Did you say there's a way I can eat what I like and still lose weight? Is that even possible? Is there really a way I can lose weight without counting calories, carbs, fats, and without doing all the other stuff that these diet experts tell me?Yes there is. First of all, to put it bluntly, diets just don't work at all for long-term weight loss. Diet: Changing Your Focus Have you ever decided to take a trip somewhere relatively unfamiliar? Suddenly, everywhere you look, there is something about your planned destination. Turn on a television travel channel and it is featured. Lose Fat by Choosing The Best Weight Loss Plan For You Are you sick of the hype? Wondering what diet products really work? The fact is, most of them do. It's simply a matter of finding what works for you. The Calorie Formula -understand Them and Lose Them We have all heard of those new diets, Atkins, low carb, high protein etc. Some of us have tried them with good results. Overcoming Secretive Eating Finally - you are alone. No one else is around. Weight Loss And Nutrition Myths - What You Need To Know! Part 1 MYTH: Fad diets work for permanent weight loss.FACT: Fad diets are not the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Does A Quick Weight Loss Diet Really Work? Only if you're trying to fool the scale on a specific date and time.Quick weight loss is advertised by diet marketers all the time. Holidaze It's the travel time, meaning hours spent sedentary. It prepares me for the visiting, when I know there'll be no activity.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
