Each year millions of people go on diets to lose weight. About 75 percent will experience some degree of weight loss, but only 5 percent or less will keep the fat off permanently.
Those who regain their weight will regain the pounds they lost, plus more! The cycle of losing and regaining weight and losing and regaining makes them fatter and fatter. This yo-yo effect is detrimental to their health. It happens to people who do not adopt appropriate lifestyle habits that support permanent fat loss. Quick weight loss by dieting is not healthy or permanent.
What is the safe approach to weight loss? When a high fiber, low-fat, and balanced diet is supported by appropriate habits of exercise, then permanent fat loss can occur and a healthy weight can be maintained for a lifetime. More calories, or energy, must be expended than eaten to have a reduction of body fat. Aerobic exercise is what makes the body's metabolism (the calorie burning system) operate efficiently.
Very low calorie diets, those that are less than 1200 calories for women and less than 1700 calories for men, are not healthy and do not promote permanent fat loss. In addition, any weight loss diet that does not include aerobic exercise will yield a loss of muscle, water, and fat. After the diet, the water immediately returns. The original fat lost returns, along with more fat. The muscle is lost forever unless it is rebuilt by exercise.
When muscle is lost, the results are the same for your body as they would be for your car. Throw out part of the engine of your car and see if it will function properly. Muscle is the engine of the body and burns fat for fuel. Your weight loss goal should be to have fat loss only. This will not happen if the body is not serviced properly through healthy eating and regular physical activity.
Healthy eating includes following the recommendations made by the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. Avoid excess alcohol, sugar, sweets, and fats.
Each day eat:
* 6 to 11 servings of whole grain foods
* 2 to 4 servings of fruit
* 3 to 5 servings of vegetables
* 2 to 3 servings of meat and
* 2 to 3 servings of milk products
Physical activity is critical! Be active every day. Participate in recreational activities. Go walking, biking, hiking, swimming, dancing, or rollerblading. Carry your own groceries. Do activities that will keep you moving and are safe for you. Even small increases in activity over time can make a big difference in the number of calories your body will burn.
Remember, crash dieting is not healthy. It can lead to nutrient deficiencies, loss of muscle mass, reduced immune function, and other problems. It is more sensible and safer to make health changes gradually over time. Make the changes a way of life and your reward will be a healthy and fit body.
h**p://uihealthcare.com/topics/nutrition/nutr4829.html
