The Ultimate Key to Successful Weight Loss

You can't help but wonder who's telling the truth when it comes to weight loss "secrets," diet pills that make it seem like they can do it all, drinks that claim to "help" you lose weight, doctors who have "secret weight loss formulas," and fad diets that claim to have all the answers. Next, we have the most important question. Could you tell me the one surefire way to lose weight?

A "secret" is defined as an item whose existence is unknown to the general public. Since the "truth" of weight reduction has been known for quite some time, it is hardly a mystery anymore.

There is one item that you will likely find on the label of the majority of weight loss products, whether they be pills, drinks, meal replacements, books, or anything else. Several of their claims end with the phrase "...when used with exercise and proper nutrition."

The kicker is that these diet aids can only facilitate what nature can do nearly as effectively on its own, if not better!

It has long been understood, from a biological and physical perspective, how one gains or loses weight. This equation is easy even if you were never very good at maths in school. To put on weight, your caloric intake must exceed your energy expenditure. Losing weight is as simple as burning more calories than you consume. The fact that we are fallible human beings is the crux of the matter.

So, buddy, what's the big deal about being human?

Simply being human is not a problem. Some days I even strike up a conversation with one. My kid could marry one of my human friends—I even have one who lives next door, if I'm not mistaken. The thing is, we're all different, as Sister Mary Fides hammered into our heads when we were teenagers. I can show you the ideal weight loss regimen, and it will work like a charm for you. However, your next-door neighbour might struggle to follow the same program.

WHAT MAKES SOME WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN OTHERS?

In Julius Caesar, Cassius says what Shakespeare intended: "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves...!"

I don't mean to imply that you're inherently at fault here, but the fact that we're all so different makes it hard to create a magic bullet—not to mention the ideal weight loss program.

Certain genes have a predisposition to make some people heavier than others. Someone else's upbringing fostered a particular diet or way of life that made them naturally plump, even though they would have been much smaller otherwise. Someone else goes through a lot of emotional highs and lows, which leads to unhealthy eating habits and eventually weight gain. Because of human interference with our natural environment, chemical changes that Mother Nature had intended for our bodies to fulfil specific functions are now hurting us. Plus, most overweight persons have more than one of these factors at play, and some of these factors even amplify the effects of other factors!

It would be tough to design a weight loss regimen that works for everyone because of our other differences. You despise your brother-in-law's love of weight training. You are impressed by your neighbor's Bowflex, but you are unable to figure out how to transport one due to your frequent travels. Because your metabolism is different from hers, you failed miserably at losing weight on the same diet that your cousin had great success with. As a matter of fact, you gained weight while trying several diets! Gaining weight is a common side effect of trying too many diets, by the way. A little more nuanced explanation may be that your body has learnt to function on less calories after being on a diet and then coming off of it. Now that you're back to your regular eating habits, it has more calories to put into fat. Do you recall the equations we used earlier?

The "lose 30 pounds in 30 days" claim also has a lot of believers. Their weight-related misery has gotten them to the point where they will believe anything, regardless of how ridiculous or harmful it may be to their health.

Can't I just drastically reduce my caloric intake?

If we were to both reduce the number of calories we eat each day, we probably would feel better. But there comes a time when our bodies reset some internal mechanisms, and we might start to put on a few pounds. Additionally, when we restrict our food intake, we deprive our bodies of essential nutrients.

Clearly, I can't go about my day exercising from sunrise to sunset.

There was the flip side to that, wasn't there? Yeah, you're totally right, and if you did, that would make me nervous. No need to take such drastic measures. A remedy exists.

What on earth? MY PERSONAL TRAINER? Are you serious?

No way! I'm not going to be the one to sign you up for personal training because I'm too lazy. That is, you can try out a few different things until you discover what works for you, and then commit to doing at least one of those things regularly—say, three or four times a week. The possibilities are endless: gardening, bicycling, playing with children or grandchildren, going for a stroll, doing yoga, lifting weights, etc. You are not obligated to perform each one daily; in fact, you are free to perform any one you prefer multiple times per week. Naturally, the most important thing is to take it easy at first and just ramp up your program level if you're certain you're doing well at the current level. Like some runners, I've seen champion bodybuilders who began by jogging to the mailbox and back, and I've also seen bodybuilders who began by lifting a barbell without any weights at all. I used to run six miles or more while I was in the army, but now I can only run a block before I had to stop and walk again.

You should also start making minor adjustments to your eating habits. What I mean by "diet" here is the food you eat generally, not any specific eating plan. Make it a habit to take a multivitamin daily. If that works, you might feel slightly more energised. Avoid sugar. Artificial sweeteners are likely to be healthier than sugar, despite my dislike of them. As someone who is concerned about the potential side effects of artificial sweeteners, I recommend stevia. It has been in our use for a while now, both my wife and I. I experienced less heartburn and fewer desires for carbohydrates after adjusting to it for a while.

Get well-versed in healthy eating and regular physical activity. Taking a college course is not mandatory. If you are accessing this on the internet, there is a wealth of excellent material regarding health, exercise, and weight loss available at webmd.com and mayoclinic.com/.

Before you put anything into your mouth, read the label. Reduce your portion sizes; most of us can see that certain meals might not be healthy for us, at least not when consumed in big amounts. Confused about serving sizes? Have a look at the label!

Do your research before buying prepared foods, junk food, or fast food, or at least eat less of it.

PLAN YOUR ACTIONS

Here is where I should advise you to resolve to shed X pounds in Y days, correct? That is incorrect. I want you to start thinking about how you want to spend your life and making plans now so that you may achieve your performance goals. I say "try" because it's inevitable that you'll slip up every once in a while and give in to temptation and eat that Big Mac anyhow. Make and consume the sacrifice as you see fit, but immediately return to the waggon. If you catch your partner cheating, don't let yourself have a Big Mac, ice cream, or binge. Unless you allow it to, the occasional dietary slip-up won't send you spiralling back into fat purgatory.

IN THIS RESPECT....

The idea is that you can't let yourself be held back by what has happened in the past; rather, your weight loss success will be contingent upon the decisions you make moving forward.

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