Find a Weight Loss Program That Works For You
By: Philip Nicosia
Millions of people struggle with weight issues every year-and despite
claims that a wonder diet can "work for everybody", the fact is that
each of those individuals have a medical history, a personality, or a
lifestyle issue that affects whether or not that weight control
technique will help them shed those pounds.
But while nothing works for everybody, there is something that
will work for you... and the challenge is to find it, identify it, and
stick to it.
For some people, appetite control is extremely difficult. Some
weight loss programs try to tackle that problem by delving into the
psychological issues behind food (these are the total lifestyle body
makeovers, whose techniques include keeping a food journal and coming
to terms with one's body image). Others address the problem through
metabolism, introducing or removing certain foods in one's diet that
are said to either trigger appetite. Still others, like diet pills, act
as appetite suppressants. Other programs rely on nutritional
substitutes, like heavy shakes that make one feel full and provide
adequate vitamins and minerals, while reducing calories.
For others, it's not appetite that's problematic, it's the kind
of food they eat. Certain diet programs give very strict diet regimens
that promote weight loss, because of the way the body digests the food.
Some are short-term, meant to shed pounds over a limited period of
time; others are long-term lifestyle changes. The success of these diet
programs depend largely on the person's weight loss goals and level of
commitment. Needless to say, if you just want to drop a dress size for
your wedding, you may not be ready to go into something long-term. But
if you have health problems, and need to control cholesterol levels,
then a short-term solution would not be very effective.
Other weight loss programs are closely tied with exercise
routines. Of course, not all exercise regimens will appeal to an
individual; some would find yoga interesting, while others would prefer
something like belly dancing. The idea is that one picks what is most
interesting to them-the more fun and enjoyment they derive from a
routine, the more likely they will stick to it.
The mistake that many people make is that they don't consider
their own lifestyle or personality when they try a diet or exercise
regimen; they go with what everyone else is doing, or jump on the
weight loss bandwagon on the premise that it worked for so-and-so.
While it's okay to experiment with different regimens (wouldn't hurt to
try anything once), ultimately it is a search to find what is
personally appealing.
Another secret to maintaining a diet or exercise regimen is to
have very clear and realistic goals. "Be thin" is too general to be
meaningful; pinpoint a number, and a date: "Lose 15 pounds by
September." And to avoid discouragement, that goal must be humanly
achievable and should never compromise with one's health. If a diet
makes one dizzy, or radically affects one's ability to be fully alert
and functional, then stop immediately.
Luckily there is a wide variety of weight loss regimens.
There's bound to be one that will help one meet one's goals and match
one's lifestyle.
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