You have done it all. Atkins diet, soup diet, fruit diet, you name it, you did it and still you can’t lose weight, and maybe even gain a few extra kilo. So why don’t these diets work? Are you doing something wrong or are you simply destined to be fat for the rest of your life? In this article we will be exploring some of the main reasons why diets fail and how to lose weight fast.
First of all, diets fail simply because they are diets. WHAT?!? Let me explain further.
What exactly IS a diet? Well, the term diet implies exclusion of certain food groups for a period of time in order to lose weight. This we all know, but right there, that is exactly why diets fail; the exclusion of certain foods…When we remove certain food groups from our daily meals, we are taking away some of the essential nutrients and food properties we need to sustain a healthy body. Most of the time we exclude grains like bread. Bread is fattening yes, but it plays an important role to keep us “working right”. Removing white bread is a step up, but replace it with whole wheat and whole grain bread instead. The fibre is what keeps you regular and healthy.
Other foods we like to exclude are pasta, fats and sugars. Again, not eating them will make you lose weight, but what are you missing when you don’t consume these foods? You start craving things that are really unhealthy and even worse, over-eating. Ever heard the phrase “everything in moderation”? Well take that to heart. Fats and sugars, when eaten in small amounts, (unrefined sugar, not white sugar and plant oils and not animal fat) help keep those fast food cravings at bay. Try using organic sugar in your coffee in the morning and use olive oil and canola oil instead of the unhealthier kinds. It makes a huge difference.
Another reason why diets fail is because we are eating too little every day. Cutting out meals is not the way to lose weight. Eating a minimum of 3 meals a day will at the very least prevent your body from starving. Think of it like this, will your car run if you never give it petrol or oil? Well, your body works exactly the same way. Without fuel, your engine will die. You become lethargic and tire easily. Your skin stats showing signs of age and your hair becomes lifeless and limp. You have strange ages and pains that can’t be explained. You battle to concentrate on anything and your bowls start giving you trouble. You can develop IBS (Irritable Bowl Syndrome) which is incurable once you have it, you can become badly constipated or even suffer crippling diarrhea. All of this can be avoided by doing something that goes against everything we think we know about weight loss; eat. Eat healthy meals every day, just be smart about it. Ear smaller portions and if you struggle with that, get smaller plates and eat off those. Fish plates work a treat for this trick. It works by tricking the brain into thinking you have a full plate of food, which in turn triggers the “I am full” button in your brain. This in turn helps you lose weight.
Another reason is not getting enough minerals and nutrients through our food. There are two ways to combat this. One is to try eat organic food (which can be expensive) or even growing your own (which can be difficult), and the second is with supplements. We do not get enough Omega 3 in our diets. By taking an Omega 3 supplement, you are getting the necessary 1000mg you need to keep your eyes, hair, skin and all your organs healthy .We should also be taking a daily supplement that has everything we need in one tablet. These are all easily available at any pharmacy, Clicks or DisChem store. You can even go so far as to buy them online. While you are online, why not also check out a product called Green Coffee Bean Extract. It is a 100%, ALL natural product with no added chemicals or preservatives and has no known side affects at all. Not only is it a healthy supplement to add to your shopping list, but it has another, far more sought after affect. It is also a weight loss aid. It speeds up your metabolism and makes the body burn stored fat as energy, but at the same time prevents the body absorbing any fat you eat. Now that is a powerful supplement!
The last reason for failed diets is a combination of things; sleep, exercise and goals. Not doing enough exercise (or any) will hamper even the most dedicated dieter. You will fail! It gets the blood pumping and speeds up the metabolism as well. It helps clear impurities from your system and oxygenates your blood. This helps keep your mind sharp and aids concentration. Exercise transforms all the food you eat into energy by making the muscles work. If you don’t do this, the food becomes fat and well, we all know what happens then. You become despondent that this diet just does not work, and you quit.
Which brings me to the next one. Goals. Don’t set them too high. Be reasonable about it and set goals that can actually be reached. By setting smaller gaols you can reach boosts your moral and motivates you to keep going. It also does wonders for the spirit and mind.
And finally, sleep. Get enough sleep so your body can repair and recover. And no, simply being in bed by 20H00 but turning out the lights after midnight is not enough. We need at least eight hours of solid sleep in order to function properly. Eight hours is the average amount and six hours is perfectly sufficient, but anything less is not good for us as human beings. Sleep is one of the most important things to help us lose weight, and feel good everyday so we can go ahead and do what we need to get healthy and stay healthy.
So, be good to yourself and be kind to your body because you only get one, and there are no trade-ins. eat stop eat