Think Fat Loss, Not Weight Loss

Think Fat Loss, Not Weight Loss

Weight loss is one of the hottest topics ever. Everyone seems to be trying to lose weight nowadays. Most diet programs are about weight loss and body weight is often used as an indicator of fitness progress. But, this is an incorrect approach.
Your ultimate goal should always be to lose fat and reducing excess body fat is what you should be concerned about. Weight loss and Fat loss is NOT the same thing! Many people confuse the two terms, often believing that they mean the same, when in fact weight loss and fat loss are very different from one another. This article will help you understand how weight loss is different than fat loss and how fat loss is far superior to weight loss in almost all ways.
What Is Weight Loss?
(Weight Loss = Muscle Loss + Fat Loss + Water Loss)
Weight loss is attempting to lower your total body weight. It simply refers to a lower number on a scale.
Your body weight is composed of all the parts of your body such as muscles, fat, bones, water, organs, tissues, blood, water etc. When you lose weight, you lose a little bit of... fat, muscle and water.
You lose fat but very little and along with the fat you lose muscle and some amount of water. The higher you reduce your calorie intake, the faster you drop weight and the more muscle mass you lose.
Do know your muscle matters? Loss of muscle affects your health and your overall appearance.
When you lose weight too quickly, your body cannot maintain its muscle. Because muscle requires more calories to sustain itself, your body begins to metabolize it so that it can reserve the incoming calories for its survival. It protects it fat stores as a defense mechanism to ensure your survival in case of future famine and instead use lean tissue or muscle to provide it with calories it needs to keep its vital organs such as your brain, heart, kidneys and liver functioning. If you reach a point where you have very little fat or muscle, your body will metabolize your organs to keep your brain functioning leading to heart attack, stroke and liver and kidney failure.
As the body loses more muscle mass, the body's overall metabolic rate decreases. The metabolic rate is the rate at which the body burns calories and is partly determined by the amount of muscle you have.
So the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate; the less muscle you have, the lower your metabolic rate and fewer calories you burn. This explains why it is crucial to protect your metabolic rate and not have muscle loss.
Loss of muscle also leads to loss of tone underneath the skin leaving you soft and unshapely with no form or contour. If you lose weight too rapidly, your skin won't have time to adjust either. Also muscle is what gives you strength and loss of it means a weak body.
With weight loss you shrink in size and become a smaller version of yourself with a fragile frame with saggy skin.
Weight loss works in the short run to make you smaller but is temporary, almost everyone rebounds and regains the weight. This forces you to find another diet. And then another one, and another one - because eventually they'll all fail.
What Is Fat Loss?
(Fat Loss = Loss Of Stored Body Fat)
Fat loss is attempting to lower your total body fat - i.e. the percentage of your total body weight that is made up of fat.
The right approach for fat loss is to exercise smartly and eat intelligently in a way that maintains muscle and focuses on fat loss exclusively.
The muscle you have is not there forever. If you don't feed it and don't use it - you lose it. A proper plan with right combination of resistance and cardiovascular training with adequate progression and a right nutrition plan to support it can help you achieve this. Exercise only boosts the burning process but doesn't just melt the fat away on its own - if you do not create a deficit and feed the body too much - it won't touch the stored fuel reserves. On the hand if you drastically cut your calories and do not feed your muscle properly or don't exercise and use your muscle, you will lose it. Fat loss is about finding that right balance.
With fat loss you maintain the muscle and keep the metabolic rate running high. You also develop stronger connective tissue, tighter skin and stronger bones and joints. With fat loss you transform your body.
Fat loss is a lifestyle approach where you give your body what it needs without depriving and shocking it with threat of starvation. You get to see slow but permanent steady progress.
It may sound odd, but it's possible to get thinner without actually seeing a change in your weight. This happens when you lose body fat while gaining muscle. Your weight stays the same, even as you lose inches.
Lets see how this happens.
Fat tissue is very loose and not dense. It occupies a lot of space in your body. Whereas muscle is more dense and takes up less space. When you lose fat, this space is freed and you can notice inch loss. If you are following a consistent strength training program then gain in lean muscle tissue will balance out this loss of fat and weight stays the same. Since muscle takes less space than fat, you lose inches and start to look more toned, lean and shapely.
consistent strength training program then gain in lean muscle tissue will balance out this loss of fat and weight stays the same. Since muscle takes less space than fat, you lose inches and start to look more toned, lean and shapely.
Myth: "Getting fit" means "Losing weight."
Truth: Getting fit means lowering your body fat percentage!

How Effective Is Weight Loss Surgery?

How Effective Is Weight Loss Surgery?

For severely overweight individuals that have failed to see results from diet and exercise alone, weight-loss surgery has become the safest and most effective means of achieving significant weight loss. In fact, studies have shown that with diet and exercise alone, nearly 95% of obese patients will gain all the lost weight back within 5 years. On the other hand, long-term success rates for weight-loss surgery - including the LAP-BAND procedure - are remarkably high, allowing patients to maintain a loss of between 50-70% of their excess body weight. Though there are many factors that can impact an individual patient's weight-loss success, weight-loss surgery is simply the most effective long-term weight loss and healthy lifestyle solution for severely obese patients.
Studies show that most patients that undergo weight-loss surgery will lose between 50-70% of their excess body weight within the first three years following their procedure. Those that undergo gastric bypass surgery will lose excess body weight more rapidly in the first 12 months than those that choose LAP-BAND surgery. However, gastric bypass patients typically experience a greater number of complications and side effects than LAP-BAND patients, as the LAP-BAND procedure allows for more gradual and natural long-term weight loss.
From a clinical perspective, a weight-loss surgery is considered successful when the patient loses at least 50% of their excess body weight and keeps the weight off for at least five years. While important lifestyle changes need to be made to ensure that the weight loss is maintained in the long term, studies have shown that most weight loss surgery patients are able to maintain a 50-60% loss of excess body weight 10 years after the surgical procedure. However, it is important to note that a weight loss of just 10% of total body weight can begin to have positive health effects in resolution of obesity-related condition like asthma, gastric reflux (GERD), and diabetes. As weight-loss surgery is usually performed on patients that are at least 75-100 pounds overweight or have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 35 with a health condition, overall weight loss can range anywhere from 40 pounds to over 100 pounds. But the patient is really the leader behind achieving these results.
While patients will certainly look and feel better after weight-loss surgery, there are also numerous health benefits associated with successful weight loss. In most cases, health conditions that develop as a result of excessive body weight or are worsened by obesity can be improved upon or, in some cases, remedied by weight-loss surgery.
But there are other ways to measuring success with weight-loss surgery, like the LAP-BAND System. For instance, many weight loss surgery patients take great pride in being able to perform certain activities that may not have been possible for a number of years, like crossing their legs, bending over to tie a show, walking up stairs without being easily winded or sitting comfortably in an airplane seat.
While most patients that undergo weight-loss surgery experience incredibly positive results, there are many factors that can impact the overall success of an individual patient's procedure and follow-up treatment. Here are some important factors to consider as you try to determine whether weight loss surgery is right for you.
Pre-surgery Weight
Generally speaking, the higher a patient's pre-surgery weight or BMI, the more excess weight the patient can lose after surgery. However, recipients of weight-loss surgery with less excess body weight will eventually come closer to their ideal weight when committed to long-term diet and exercise. Also, resolution or improvement in obesity-related diseases can occur with even moderate amounts of weight. Often many diseases can become closer to cured than improved with earlier intervention at a lower weight.
Overall Health
While pre-existing health conditions can impact the overall success of weight-loss surgery (for instance, patients with type 2 Diabetes typically lose less excess body weight after surgery), studies have shown that many ailments linked to obesity are either improved upon or fall into remission after a successful procedure. For instance, a 2000 study performed on 500 weight loss surgery patients showed that nearly 96% of health conditions associated with obesity - such as high blood pressure, depression, sleep apnea, back pain and diabetes - improved greatly following loss of excess weight and long-term commitment to diet and exercise.
Surgical Procedure
As there are potential risks and complications associated with any surgical procedure, potential patients should always seek to have their weight-loss surgery performed by a trusted medical staff. Prospective patients should inquire about their surgeon's success rates with weight-loss surgery and listen to the experiences of former patients. Additionally, a patient's weight-loss success may also be impacted by the quality of post-surgery care and counseling provided by their bariatric outpatient facility.
Diet and Exercise
As diet and exercise are two of the most important factors in any weight loss plan, patients with the physical ability to exercise after weight-loss surgery have increased chances of meeting their goals. To maintain the weight loss achieved by surgery, both exercise and healthy eating habits must become integral parts of a patient's lifestyle.
Commitment
The ability to remain committed to suggested dietary guidelines, exercise regimens and any follow-up care recommended by the bariatric outpatient facility is important for both short-term weight loss and long-term weight management.
Motivation
Patients that are motivated to lose weight and willing to follow through with diet and exercise prior to receiving weight loss surgery may experience greater levels of success immediately following the procedure and in the long term. Most people did not find themselves severely obese overnight. It took years to reach that weight and therefore patients should be patient with the weight-loss process, which will also not occur overnight. Successful patients find small victories along the way to celebrate and stay motivated.
Support
As weight-loss surgery will require some time away from everyday activities, it is important to have the support of family, friends and coworkers before undergoing any surgical procedure. Furthermore, as the ongoing weight-loss process following bariatric surgery may require a certain level of emotional support, prospective patients may want to establish a support network - including friends and family members that can join in on exercise and healthy eating.
Considering that significant weight loss can not only remedy many health concerns, but also improve an individual's quality of life, the potential benefits of weight-loss surgery are plentiful. For severely overweight individuals that are unable to lose weight via diet and exercise alone, weight-loss surgery is the most effective method of losing weight - and keeping the weight off.

The Big Picture of Permanent Weight Loss

The Big Picture of Permanent Weight Loss

Most people who read my articles and e-books know me as a science guy who likes to quote studies and apply research to everyday problems such as weight loss, bodybuilding, and other health/fitness related topics. However, sometimes you have to step back from the science and look at the big picture to help bring people back into focus, so they can see the forest for the trees, so to speak.
For most people reading this article, finding an effective diet that works most of the time must seem as complicated as nuclear physics. It's not, but there are a bewildering number of choices for diets out there. High fat or no fat? High carbohydrate or no carbohydrate? Low protein or high protein? To make matters worse, there are a million variations and combinations to the above diet scenarios to add to the confusion. It seems endless and causes many people to throw up their hands in frustration and give up. In this article I will attempt to change all that.
There are some general guidelines, rules of thumb, and ways of viewing a diet program that will allow you to decide, once and for all, if it's the right diet for you. You may not always like what I have to say, and you should be under no illusions this is another quick fix, "lose 100 lbs. in 20 days," guide of some sort. However, if you are sick and tired of being confused, tired of taking the weight off only to put it back on, and tired of wondering how to take the first steps to deciding the right diet for you that will result in permanent weight loss, then this is the article that could change your life...
Does your diet pass "The Test"?
What is the number one reason diets fail long term; above all else? The number one reason is...drum roll...a lack of long term compliance. The numbers don't lie; the vast majority of people who lose weight will regain it - and often exceed what they lost. You knew that already didn't you?
Yet, what are you doing to avoid it? Here's another reality check: virtually any diet you pick which follows the basic concept of "burning" more calories then you consume - the well accepted "calories in calories out" mantra - will cause you to lose weight. To some degree, they all work: Atkins-style, no carb diets, low fat high carb diets, all manner of fad diets - it simply does not matter in the short term.
If your goal is to lose some weight quickly, then pick one and follow it. I guarantee you will lose some weight. Studies generally find any of the commercial weight loss diets will get approximately the same amount of weight off after 6 months to a year. For example, a recent study found the Atkins' Diet, Slim-Fast plan, Weight Watchers Pure Points program, and Rosemary Conley's Eat Yourself Slim diet, were all equally effective. (1)
Other studies comparing other popular diets have come to essentially the same conclusions. For example, a study that compared the Atkins diet, the Ornish diet, Weight Watchers, and The Zone Diet, found them to be essentially the same in their ability to take weight off after one year. (2)
Recall what I said about the number one reason diets fail, which is a lack of compliance. The lead researcher of this recent study stated:
"Our trial found that adherence level rather than diet type was the primary predictor of weight loss"(3)
Translated, it's not which diet they chose per se, but their ability to actually stick to a diet that predicted their weight loss success. I can just see the hands going up now, "but Will, some diets must be better than others, right?" Are some diets better then others? Absolutely. Some diets are healthier then others, some diets are better at preserving lean body mass, some diets are better at suppressing appetite - there are many differences between diets. However, while most of the popular diets will work for taking weight off, what is abundantly clear is that adhering to the diet is the most important aspect for keeping the weight off long term.
What is a diet?
A diet is a short term strategy to lose weight. Long term weight loss is the result of an alteration in lifestyle. We are concerned with life long weight management, not quick fix weight loss here. I don't like the term diet, as it represents a short term attempt to lose weight vs. a change in lifestyle. Want to lose a bunch of weight quickly? Heck, I will give you the information on how to do that here and now for no charge.
For the next 90 to 120 days eat 12 scrambled egg whites, one whole grapefruit, and a gallon of water twice a a day. You will lose plenty of weight. Will it be healthy? Nope. Will the weight stay off once you are done with this diet and are then forced to go back to your "normal" way of eating? Not a chance. Will the weight you lose come from fat or will it be muscle, water, bone, and (hopefully!) some fat? The point being, there are many diets out there that are perfectly capable of getting weight off you, but when considering any eating plan designed to lose weight, you must ask yourself:
"Is this a way of eating I can follow long term?"
Which brings me to my test: I call it the "Can I eat that way for the rest of my life?" Test. I know, it does not exactly roll off your tongue, but it gets the point across.
The lesson here is: any nutritional plan you pick to lose weight must be part of a lifestyle change you will be able to follow - in one form or another - forever. That is, if it's not a way of eating you can comply with indefinitely, even after you get to your target weight, then it's worthless.
Thus, many fad diets you see out there are immediately eliminated, and you don't have to worry about them. The question is not whether the diet is effective in the short term, but if the diet can be followed indefinitely as a lifelong way of eating. Going from "their" way of eating back to "your" way of eating after you reach your target weight is a recipe for disaster and the cause of the well established yo-yo dieting syndrome. Bottom line: there are no short cuts, there is no free lunch, and only a commitment to a lifestyle change is going to keep the fat off long term. I realize that's not what most people want to hear, but it's the truth, like it or not.
The statistics don't lie: getting the weight off is not the hardest part, keeping the weight off is! If you take a close look at the many well known fad/commercial diets out there, and you are honest with yourself, and apply my test above, you will find most of them no longer appeal to you as they once did. It also brings me to an example that adds additional clarity: If you have diet A that will cause the most weight loss in the shortest amount of time but is unbalanced and essentially impossible to follow long term vs. diet B, which will take the weight off at a slower pace, but is easier to follow, balanced, healthy, and something you can comply with year after year, which is superior? If diet A gets 30 lbs off you in 30 days, but by next year you have gained back all 30 lbs, but diet B gets 20 lbs off you in the next 3 months with another 20 lbs 3 months after that and the weight stays off by the end of that year, which is the better diet?
If you don't know the answer to those questions, you have totally missed the point of this article and the lesson it's trying to teach you, and are set up for failure. Go back and read this section again...By default, diet B is superior.
Teach a man to Fish...
A well known Chinese Proverb is - Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
This expression fits perfectly with the next essential step in how to decide what eating plan you should follow to lose weight permanently. Will the diet plan you are considering teach you how to eat long term, or does it spoon-feed you information? Will the diet rely on special bars, shakes, supplements or pre-made foods they supply?
Let's do another diet A vs. diet B comparison. Diet A is going to supply you with their foods, as well as their special drink or bars to eat, and tell you exactly when to eat them. You will lose - say - 30 lbs in two months. Diet B is going to attempt to help you learn which foods you should eat, how many calories you need to eat, why you need to eat them, and generally attempt to help teach you how to eat as part of a total lifestyle change that will allow you to make informed decisions about your nutrition. Diet B causes a slow steady weight loss of 8 -10 lbs per month for the next 6 months and the weight stays off because you now know how to eat properly.
Recall the Chinese proverb. Both diets will assist you to lose weight. Only one diet, however, will teach you how to be self-reliant after your experience is over. Diet A is easier, to be sure, and causes faster weight loss than diet B, and diet B takes longer and requires some thinking and learning on your part. However, when diet A is over, you are right back where you started and have been given no skills to fish. Diet companies don't make their profits by teaching you to fish, they make their money by handing you a fish so you must rely on them indefinitely or come back to them after you gain all the weight back.
Thus, diet B is superior for allowing you to succeed where other diets failed, with knowledge gained that you can apply long term. Diet programs that attempt to spoon feed you a diet without any attempt to teach you how to eat without their help and/or rely on their shakes, bars, cookies, or pre-made foods, is another diet you can eliminate from your list of choices.
Diet plans that offer weight loss by drinking their product for several meals followed by a "sensible dinner;" diets that allow you to eat their special cookies for most meals along with their pre-planned menu; or diets that attempt to have you eating their bars, drink, or pre-made meals, are of the diet A variety covered above. They're easy to follow but destined for failure, long term. They all fail the "Can I eat that way for the rest of my life?" test, unless you really think you can eat cookies and shakes for the rest of your life...Bottom line here is, if the nutritional approach you use to lose weight, be it from a book, a class, a clinic, or an e-book, does not teach you how to eat, it's a loser for long term weight loss and it should be avoided.
The missing link for long term weight loss
We now make our way to another test to help you choose a nutrition program for long term weight loss, and it does not actually involve nutrition. The missing link for long term weight loss is exercise. Exercise is the essential component of long term weight loss. Many diet programs do not contain an exercise component, which means they are losers for long term weight loss from the very start. Any program that has its focus on weight loss but does not include a comprehensive exercise plan is like buying a car without tires, or a plane without wings. People who have successfully kept the weight off overwhelmingly have incorporated exercise into their lives, and the studies that look at people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off invariably find these people were consistent with their diet and exercise plans. (4)
I am not going to list all the benefits of regular exercise here, but regular exercise has positive effects on your metabolism, allows you to eat more calories yet still be in a calorie deficit, and can help preserve lean body mass (LBM) which is essential to your health and metabolism. The many health benefits of regular exercise are well known, so I won't bother adding them here. The bottom line here is, (a) if you have any intentions of getting the most from your goal of losing weight and (b) plan to keep it off long term, regular exercise must be an integral part of the weight loss strategy. So, you can eliminate any program, be it book, e-book, clinic, etc. that does not offer you direction and help with this essential part of long term weight loss.
Side Bar: A quick note on exercise:
Any exercise is better than no exercise. However, like diet plans, not all exercise is created equal, and many people often choose the wrong form of exercise to maximize their efforts to lose weight. For example, they will do aerobics exclusively and ignore resistance training. Resistance training is an essential component of fat loss, as it builds muscle essential to your metabolism, increases 24 hour energy expenditure, and has health benefits beyond aerobics.
The reader will also note I said fat loss above not weight loss. Though I use the term 'weight loss' throughout this article, I do so only because it is a familiar term most people understand. However, the true focus and goal of a properly set up nutrition and exercise plan should be on fat loss, not weight loss. A focus on losing weight, which may include a loss essential muscle, water, and even bone, as well as fat, is the wrong approach. Losing the fat and keeping the all important lean body mass (LBM), is the goal, and the method for achieving that can be found in my ebook(s) on the topic, and is beyond the scope of this article. Bottom line: the type of exercise, intensity of that exercise, length of time doing that exercise, etc., are essential variables here when attempting to lose FAT while retaining (LBM).
Psychology 101 of long term weight loss
Many diet programs out there don't address the psychological aspect of why people fail to be successful with long term weight loss. However, quite a few studies exist that have looked at just that. In many respects, the psychological aspect is the most important for long term weight loss, and probably the most underappreciated component.
Studies that compare the psychological characteristics of people who have successfully kept the weight off to people who have regained the weight, see clear differences between these two groups. For example, one study that looked at 28 obese women who had lost weight but regained the weight that they had lost, compared to 28 formerly obese women who had lost weight and maintained their weight for at least one year and 20 women with a stable weight in the healthy range, found the women who regained the weight:
o Had a tendency to evaluate self-worth in terms of weight and shape
o Had a lack of vigilance with regard to weight control
o had a dichotomous (black-and-white) thinking style
o Had the tendency to use eating to regulate mood.
The researchers concluded:
"The results suggest that psychological factors may provide some explanation as to why many people with obesity regain weight following successful weight loss."
This particular study was done on women, so it reflects some of the specific psychological issues women have - but make no mistake here - men also have their own psychological issues that can sabotage their long term weight loss efforts. (6)
Additional studies on men and women find psychological characteristics such as "having unrealistic weight goals, poor coping or problem-solving skills and low self-efficacy" often predict failure with long term weight loss. (7) On the other hand, psychological traits common to people who experienced successful long term weight loss include "...an internal motivation to lose weight, social support, better coping strategies and ability to handle life stress, self-efficacy, autonomy, assuming responsibility in life, and overall more psychological strength and stability." (8)
The main point of this section is to illustrate that psychology plays a major role in determining if people are successful with long term weight loss. If it's not addressed as part of the overall plan, it can be the factor that makes or breaks your success. This, however, is not an area most nutrition programs can adequately tackle and should not be expected to. However, the better programs do generally attempt to help with motivation, goal setting, and support. If you see yourself in the above lists from the groups that failed to maintain their weight long term, then know you will need to address those issues via counseling, support groups, etc. Don't expect any weight loss program to cover this topic adequately but do look for programs that attempt to offer support, goal setting, and resources that will keep you on track.
"There's a sucker born every minute"
So why don't you see this type of honest information about the realities of long term weight loss more often? Let's be honest here, telling the truth is not the best way to sell bars, shakes, books, supplements, and programs. Hell, if by some miracle everyone who read this article actually followed it, and sent it on to millions of other people who actually followed it, makers of said products could be in financial trouble quickly. However, they also know - as the man said - "there's a sucker born every minute," so I doubt they will be kept up at night worrying about the effects that I, or this article, will have on their business.
So let's recap what has been learned here: the big picture realities of permanent weight loss and how you can look at a weight loss program and decide for yourself if it's for you based on what has been covered above:
o Permanent weight loss is not about finding a quick fix diet, but making a commitment to life style changes that include nutrition and exercise
o Any weight loss program you choose must pass the "Can I eat that way for the rest of my life?" test,
o The weight loss program you choose should ultimately teach you how to eat and be self reliant so you can make informed long term choices about your nutrition.
o The weight loss program you choose should not leave you reliant on commercial bars, shakes, supplements, or pre-made foods, for your long term success.
o The weight loss program you choose must have an effective exercise component.
o The weight loss program you choose should attempt to help with motivation, goal setting, and support, but can't be a replacement for psychological counseling if needed.
Conclusion
I want to take this final section to add some additional points and clarity. For starters, the above advice is not for everyone. It's not intended for those who really have their nutrition dialed in, such as competitive bodybuilders and other athletes who benefit from fairly dramatic changes in their nutrition, such as 'off season' and 'pre-contest' and so on.
The article is also not intended for those with medical issues who may be on a specific diet to treat or manage a specific medical condition. The article is intended for the average person who wants to get off the Yo-Yo diet merry-go-round once and for all. As that's probably 99% of the population, it will cover millions of people.
People should also not be scared off by my "you have to eat this way forever" advice. This does not mean you will be dieting for the rest of your life and have nothing but starvation to look forward to. What it does mean, however, is you will have to learn to eat properly even after you reach your target weight and that way of eating should not be a huge departure from how you ate to lose the weight in the first place. Once you get to your target weight - and or your target bodyfat levels - you will go onto a maintenance phase which generally has more calories and choices of food, even the occasional treat, like a slice of pizza or whatever.
Maintenance diets are a logical extension of the diet you used to lose the weight, but they are not based on the diet you followed that put the weight on in the first place!
Regardless of which program you choose, use the above 'big picture' approach which will keep you on track for long term weight loss. See you in the gym!
References
(1) Truby H, et al. Randomised controlled trial of four commercial weight loss programmes in the UK: initial findings from the BBC "diet trials" BMJ 2006;332:1309-1314 (3 June),
(2) Michael D., et al, Comparison of the Atkins, Ornish, Weight Watchers, and Zone Diets for Weight Loss and Heart Disease Risk Reduction. A Randomized Trial. JAMA. 2005;293:43-53.
(3) Comparison of Diets for Weight Loss and Heart Disease Risk Reduction-Reply. Michael Dansinger. JAMA. 2005;293:1590-1591.
(4) Kruger J. et al. Dietary and physical activity behaviors among adults successful at weight loss maintenance. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2006, 3:17 doi:10.1186/1479-5868-3-17
(5) Byrne S, et al. Weight maintenance and relapse in obesity: a qualitative study. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003 Aug;27(8):955-62.
(6) Borg P, et al. Food selection and eating behaviour during weight maintenance intervention and 2-y follow-up in obese men.Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2004 Dec;28(12):1548-54.
(7) Byrne SM. Psychological aspects of weight maintenance and relapse in obesity. J Psychosom Res. 2002 Nov;53(5):1029-36.
(8) Elfhag K, et al. Who succeeds in maintaining weight loss? A conceptual review of factors associated with weight loss maintenance and weight regain. Obes Rev. 2005 Feb;6(1):67-85

Author Bio
Will Brink is an author, columnist and expert in the supplement, fitness, bodybuilding, and weight loss industry and has been extensively published. Will graduated from Harvard University with a concentration in the natural sciences.
His often ground breaking articles can be found in publications such as Lets Live, Muscle Media , MuscleMag International, The Life Extension Magazine, Muscle n Fitness, Exercise For Men Only, and numerous others.
He has been co author of several studies relating to sports nutrition and health found in peer reviewed academic journals, as well as having commentary published in JAMA. Will formerly trained high level Olympic athletes, bodybuilders and fitness and now runs seminars for (SWAT).
He is the author of Bodybuilding Revealed which teaches you how to gain solid muscle mass drug free and Fat Loss Revealed which reveals exactly how to get lean, ripped and healthy completely naturally.

Top 10 Ways to Gauge Your Fitness

Top 10 Ways to Gauge Your Fitness

It may be difficult to measure your fitness level if you wish to understand how healthy you are, or if you are starting a new workout regimen. Everyone's fitness level is different, and are personally based on factors in a few different categories including aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, flexibility and body composition. Fitness is more than how fast or long you can run, how much weight you can lift or what your body looks like in a bathing suit. If you want to know how healthy and fit your body is, try assessing your fitness level with these tests:
- Resting Heart Rate (RHR)- Your resting heart rate can be a good, simple indication of your overall fitness level. The number of times your heart beats each minute, asses your aerobic fitness capacity. When your body is at rest and relaxed, count the number of heart beats you feel in a 60 second time period. A lower RHR corresponds to a stronger cardiovascular system and higher aerobic fitness level.
- 1 Mile Run (or brisk walk)- This test indicates the level your cardiovascular fitness is at. Using a flat and measurable route, see how long it takes you to complete 1 mile running, or if you have to, walking quickly. If you don't get winded or dizzy you are in a good fitness position; if you do, you need to work on improving your cardiovascular fitness. Ideally, you should be able to complete one mile in 9 minutes or less.
- Push Ups- Push ups are a great exercise for overall fitness, and can be a good indicator of upper body strength and endurance levels. There are many people that have trouble performing even one proper push-up. This exercise involves the shoulders, chest, triceps, abdominals and some legs, and are a great way to asses your upper body fitness. See how many you can do in row; women should aim for 12 and men should aim for 20.
- Wall Sit- This exercise is used to asses lower body and leg strength and endurance. "Sitting" in an invisible chair with your back up against a wall for as long as possible, is a good way to gauge your lower body fitness, as well as the endurance in your leg muscles. With your knees at a right angle, breathe freely while seeing how long you can hold the position.
- Flexibility- Fitness is also a measure of how flexible your body is. To asses flexibility, sit on the floor with your legs stretched out, and then try to reach and touch your toes. If you can't touch your toes this does not mean you are not fit, many people can't reach this far. However, you definitely need to work on this area of fitness if you can't reach much further than your knees. Flexibility is important to overall health, so work on stretching each day to improve flexibility and fitness.
- Balance- Like flexibility, balance is also an important factor in good fitness. An overall healthy body relies heavily on being well balanced, and the risk or injury and broken bones from falls increases drastically with age. To asses your fitness level in this area, try standing on one foot with your arms at your sides for a period of one minute. If you feel as if you may fall, stand close to a wall, table or chair. Work on improving fitness levels in balance, try practicing exercises that focus on and promote good balance like yoga or Pilates.
- Plank- This is a great exercise to asses your core strength and stability. Your fitness level relies on those deep, stabilizing muscles that are in the trunk of your body. Your core strength and fitness can be assessed by practicing holding the plank position for as long as you can. Proper planks are held with the forearms on the floor, toes curled under, and your back straight and parallel to the floor. Doing this exercise each day will increase core muscles and overall fitness.
- Vertical Jump- As kids, this part of our fitness level was certainly up to par, and used often. However, when you get older it is a much looked over part of overall health that can indicate the power exertion your body possesses as well as the power in your muscle fibers. See how high you can jump with markings on a wall or a 2-foot tall box.
- Waist to Hip Ratio- This fitness test is used to asses body fat distribution. The waist to hip ratio indicates the proportion of fat stored around the waist compared to hip girth. Those who hold more weight in their midsection as belly fat, are more likely to experience health problems like heart disease and diabetes, as well as a lower fitness level. To calculate your waist to hip ratio, measure the circumference of the widest part of your hips, and smallest part of your waist. Then divide the waist measurement by the measurement of your hips. For women, a healthy ratio is less than .8, and for men it's less than .9.
- Burpees- This full body exercise is a good way to indicate your fitness level if you can do even a few in a row. A burpee is an intense workout that challenges your muscular fitness, cardiovascular fitness, endurance and body power. Perform as many as possible in one minute to really test and push your fitness level.

Reasons Why One Should Buy a Fitness Tracker

Reasons Why One Should Buy a Fitness Tracker

First of all, it is very important to stay physically fit to be able to do everyday jobs effectively and efficiently during the course of our lifestyles. And to further increase our level of fitness and make our lives better, we must own a fitness tracker that keeps a track of how healthy and fit our body is at a point of time.
Besides this, there are several other reasons why one should own and use a fitness tracker. This is a great tool, especially when you have lots of things to do in a limited time period. So, it's time to get a fitness tracker that suits people's budget and fitness purpose. Remember that the quality and the functions of a fitness watch should decide which suits one's requirements the best.

1. A Motivator
A fitness tracker is not just a gadget, but it is more of a fitness friend and a motivator partner. The main purpose of this watch is to keep a track of a person's fitness routine and motivate him to stay fit. This device allows one to view the information regarding all the activities performed by him, so that one could know where the efforts had been spent all the day long. This information would later help one to set smarter objectives.
2. Fitness Objectives
A fitness watch is a help for one to set future goals. By offering a visual impression of the improvements and progress one makes, this device allows one to meet goals smartly and set better goals based on what one has already accomplished. But before setting up better goals, one should first note down the purpose of the tracker, whether it is losing weight, building body, tracking sleep or serving any other purpose.
3. Monitoring the Heart Rate
Another benefit of this device is that it keeps monitoring the heart rate, whether one is working out or taking rest. This would help one single out the activities that overload during exercises. It's a great way of monitoring heart rate.
4. Tracking Sleep
A fitness watch has a role in every activity that one performs, be it exercising or even sleeping. Getting good quality sleep is also a very important factor in one's lifestyle. Moreover it also optimizes the rate of success in one's fitness schedule. One's body must get enough sleep to make up for all the daily exhaustion and proper tissue repairing and building.
5. Swimming and Diving
Regular swimmers must get a water proof fitness tracker. With this device, they can get more out of their swimming program as they continuously receive the data of their fitness schedule even in the water. In addition to this, one can also get detailed information regarding their swimming strokes and pace.

A Guide To Body Fitness!

A Guide To Body Fitness!

EXERCISE FOR A BETTER YOU - INSIDE AND OUT
Being fit can give you immediate benefit of improved vigour, and it may offer long-term benefits as well.
# Gain More Energy. As you exercise regularly, your entire body becomes more efficient. Your heart begins to pump more blood with each beat and to beat fewer times each minute. Your body develops the ability to make more oxygen available to your cells. That means more energy - greater productivity, more stamina, and less fatigue.
# Feel Good. Exercise makes you feel good, both physically and mentally. It gives you a psychological lift and strengthens your sense of accomplishment. The discipline associated with exercise also makes you feel good about yourself: "I feel good that I walked today," or "When I run, I feel I have control over one area of my life."
# Look Good. Regular exercise plays an important role in helping to reduce body fat and weight and to develop muscle. Fitness can give you a better-looking, better-proportioned body: a flatter abdomen, firmer thighs, and slimmer hips.
# Feel Younger. Increasing your activity level can reverse or slow the changes that many people think are simply the unavoidable results of aging. In reality, lack of exercise usually reduces flexibility, strength, blood vessel elasticity, and lung functions; slows reaction time and metabolism; and increases body fat between ages 30 and 60.
# Build A Stronger Heart. Regular exercise may help reduce or modify some of the risk factors associated with heart disease, such as high cholesterol levels, elevated blood pressure, obesity, and stress. A three-year study at the University of Toronto showed that people who exercised regularly after a heart attack had less than a 5 per cent chance of having a second attack, while those who were sedentary had 22 per cent chance.
WHAT IS PHYSICAL FITNESS?
Physical fitness has two extremes: the well-conditioned person at one end and the completely inactive individual at the other. To be well-conditioned, you need to work on the four components of physical fitness: Body Composition, Cardiovascular Fitness, Muscle Fitness, and Flexibility.
# Body Composition: Body composition is the ratio between body fat and muscle. Too much fat and not enough muscle may increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, gout, and arthritis and back problems.
# Cardiovascular Fitness: Cardiovascular fitness is the ability of the heart, blood, and blood vessels to transport oxygen to your muscles. A strong, efficient heart is important for stamina and may lower your risk of heart disease.
# Muscle Fitness: Muscle fitness is the strength, endurance and shape of your muscles. Good muscle fitness helps you maintain good posture; avoid lower back pain; and lift, carry, push, and press any objects. Regular exercise keeps your muscles well developed - an important ingredient in proper body composition. Calisthenic and weight-training exercises improve your muscle fitness. Aerobic exercises also can improve muscle fitness, although to a lesser extent.
# Flexibility: Flexibility is the range of motion possible at the joints of your body. Good flexibility helps you avoid lower back pain, plus joint, neck, shoulder, arm and leg injuries. Calisthenics, stretching exercises and yoga can help maintain or improve flexibility or suppleness.
GETTING OFF TO A GOOD START
Before you begin an exercise programme, discuss what you plan to do with your physician. Most physicians will adjust the programme according to your needs and health status.
HOW FIT ARE YOU NOW?
Evaluate your physical fitness level before you start a fitness programme. Ask yourself the following questions for the evaluation:
CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS
Q #1: Do you exert yourself enough to work up a sweat for 20 minutes or more, three to four times a week?
Q #2: Are you physically active on the job? That is, does your work require you to move for at least 40 minutes non-stop, do vigorous physical activity, lift heavy objects?
BODY COMPOSITION
Q #3: Is your weight appropriate to standard height/weight charts?
Q #4: Are you satisfied with your body's muscle tone and the way your body looks?
MUSCLE FITNESS
Q #5: Have you been free of lower back pain (backache) during the past 6 months?
Q #6: Have your waistline expanded less than one inch since age 18 (women) or 21 (men)?
FLEXIBILITY
Q #7: Can you easily touch your toes without bending your knees?
Q #8: Are you currently free from aches, pains or stiffness in joints such as neck, shoulders, lower back, hips, and knees?
WHAT IS YOUR BODY TYPE?
In addition to your medical and fitness status, consider your weight and body type when starting a fitness programme.
BODY TYPES
Heavy: Substantial amount of fat with poor muscle development - usually very inactive.
Heavy Muscular: Substantial amount of fat with fair to good muscle development - usually formerly or occasionally active.
Thin: Very lean and very little muscle development - usually very inactive.
Now check the list below for guidelines on the best exercises for particular body types. But remember that there are always exceptions: some aerobic dancers are heavy and muscular, and some swimmers are thin. In general, the list highlights those activities from which you can expect the most success, the least frustration, and the best chance to staying with on the road to fitness. For example, a heavy person may not get the full benefit of jumping rope, running, or aerobics because of the stress that extra body fat puts on the legs.
# Heavy: Bicycling; Swimming; Brisk Walking
# Heavy Muscular: Aerobic Dancing; Bicycling; Racquet Sports; Swimming; Brisk Walking; Weight Training.
# Muscular: Aerobic Dancing; Bicycling; Racquet Sports; Jumping Rope; Running/Jogging; Climbing Stairs; Swimming; Brisk Walking; Weight Training.
# Thin Muscular: Aerobic Dancing; Bicycling; Racquet Sports; Jumping Rope; Running/Jogging; Climbing Stairs; Swimming; Brisk Walking; Weight Training.
# Thin: Aerobic Dancing; Jumping Rope; Running/Jogging; Climbing Stairs; Brisk Walking
ASSESS YOUR PERSONALITY
Your personality is basic to success in selecting the right fitness programme. If you are introverted, you will probably like activities that you can do alone such as bicycling, running, and swimming. If you like to do things with other people, an aerobics class, racquet sports, walking with a friend or perhaps weight training at a gym may be best. If you are competitive, one of the racquet sports may be a consideration. As an outdoor person, brisk walking, jogging, or roller skating might be one of your options.
CHOOSE A FITNESS ACTIVITY
There are many activities that help you get into shape. Brisk walking, running/jogging, swimming, bicycling, aerobics, jumping rope, climbing stairs, weight training, and racquet sports will all help you develop physical fitness. These activities very, however, in how effectively they help you develop the four fitness components.
To make the most of the activity you choose, it's important to consider how often, how vigorously, and how long you exercise.
FREQUENCY, INTENSITY AND TIME
FREQUENCY
You need to exercise three to four days each week. While some people exercise every day, it's good idea to take a day or two of rest, especially if you have been inactive for some time. If you are past age 40, exercising every other day gives your body time to recover.
INTENSITY
You have an efficient, built-in computer for determining how hard to exercise: your heart or pulse rate. To count your pulse rate, place your first and second fingers of one hand along the thumb side of your other wrist to feel for the pulse. Count pulse for 10 seconds, then multiply by 6 to find out how many times your heart beats per minute.
Your ideal exercise level is determined by your "training heart rate." Your training heart is approximately 60 to 85 per cent of your maximum heart rate. To make sure you are exercising vigorously enough; check your pulse occasionally to see if your heart rate falls within the training zone.
In addition to taking your pulse rate, you can determine whether you are exercising too hard by listening to your body. For example, if your breathing is laboured, slow down. A good guide is that you should be able to hold a conversation while exercising.
The list below shows average ranges; you should check with your doctor if you have a condition that would not allow you to safely reach these levels.

TRAINING HEART RATE:
Age || Beats per Min.
10-19: 123-174
20-29: 117-166
30-39: 111-157
40-49: 104-149
50-59: 99-140
60-69: 93-132
70+: 87-123
When considering the intensity of exercise, remember your fitness level and age. If you are just beginning a programme, exercise on the low side of your training heart rate. This is, do not exceed 10 beats above your lower reading. For a 40-year-old, for example, a pulse rate of 105-115 could be appropriate.
A warning: trying to beat the clock can defeat an otherwise good exercise programme. Thinking that if two miles in 17 minutes is good, then two miles in 15 minutes is better can be inefficient. When you run, bike, swim, or walk against the clock as if trying to excel in competition, you have moved from fitness to sport.
TIME
Ultimately you should aim for an exercise period of 30 minutes, enough to train your heart and reduce body fat. If you are just beginning an exercise programme after a period of inactivity, you will want to take it slowly, gradually building up to 30 minutes.
# Aerobic Dancing: Good for Cardiovascular fitness and Body Composition. Works most of the body.
# Bicycling: Excellent for Cardiovascular fitness and Body Composition. Strengthens leg muscles with little trauma
# Racquet Sports: Fair for Cardiovascular fitness. Good if both players are skilled and time outs minimal.
# Climbing Stairs: Excellent for Cardiovascular fitness and Body Composition.
# Weight Training: Excellent for Muscle Fitness. If done correctly, may improve Flexibility too.
# Yoga/Stretching: Excellent for improving Flexibility. No equipment necessary.
# Jumping Rope: Fair to good for Cardiovascular fitness. If skill level is adequate, you may get a good workout.
# Running: Excellent for Cardiovascular fitness and Body Composition.
# Swimming: Excellent for Cardiovascular fitness. Low injury rate. Excellent for heavier person or person with joint or arthritic problems.
# Walking: Excellent for Cardiovascular fitness and Body Composition. Easily built into the day. Low injury rate and very safe.
WARM-UP AND COOL-DOWN
You should spend 5 to 10 minutes warming up before each exercise session and 7 to 10 minutes cooling down afterward. This will help prevent injuries and sore muscles as well as promote flexibility. Walking vigorously and then walking while swinging your arms, twisting your upper body, hand shaking your hands and arms is a good warm-up. To cool down, spend a couple of minutes walking slowly and then do some exercises that stretch the upper, middle and lower third of your body.
MUSCLE FITNESS
Aerobic exercises are very effective in strengthening the heart and lungs, and are a good aid to weight loss. As beneficial as aerobic exercise is, however, it is not enough to add muscle and shape to your body.
The best activities for developing muscle fitness are calisthenics and training with weights (dumbbells or barbells, for example). These type of exercises allow you to place greater-than-normal resistance on your muscles, which result in improved muscle strength and endurance. But it is essential that you know how to perform the types of exercises correctly and safely.

Understanding the Definition of Health Related Fitness

Understanding the Definition of Health Related Fitness

Being a Health and Fitness Professional, it is my job to understand terms and definitions which are commonplace to this industry, as well to keep abreast of evolving trends. Through my experience, I have found that a number of terms deserve a little more clarification than that which they are granted.
Aside from clarifying the definition of Health Related Fitness, this article intends to shed some light on a few of the associated terms, and to show their respective distinctions.
Is it simply all in a name?
The fitness world seems to use the concept Health Related Fitness like a generic fitness principle - interchangeable with others like "Physical Fitness", "Health and Fitness" or simply "Fitness."
While all of these terms can be included under the broad term Health and Physical Fitness, they individually refer to different aspects - both generic and specific. Unfortunately, references to these and other fitness-related terms are often vague, while consistency in their intended use is meager at best; there is a kind of "generally accepted" use for them, but individuals often rely on own interpretation, and this can lead to confusion.
With that said, does Health Related Fitness simply infer fitness by means of good health? Not quite. That is why we need to understand a little more behind these words before digesting the definition.
How did the term Health Related Physical Fitness come about?
That is a good question. One could probably ask what is this concept all about - can we not simply use the terms "Fitness" or "Physical Fitness" instead?" Why Health "Related"?
The main reason stems from the fact that most health and fitness terms are used inconsistently and often refer to different concepts or notions. Subsequent to the 1996 report from the US Surgeon General (Physical Activity and Health; a report of the Surgeon General), there was a move to try and address the alarming rise in obesity levels among the general American public. Studies and initiatives required standardization among clinicians, health practitioners and fitness trainers to grapple with the task at hand. Enter "Health Related Physical Fitness", a working term to address the general state of health among the public.
The definition of Health Related Fitness
According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the main authority in this field, ineffective definitions with unclear and subjective wordings, as well as definitions containing terms which themselves require defining, have contributed to confusing the term "Physical Fitness."
There exists no reliable guide for Health and Fitness Professionals to measure "Physical Fitness", because the term has been so loosely and inconsistently defined. It is therefore that one should consider the concept of Health Related Fitness. The definition therefore centers on the 5 Components of Physical Fitness which relate to "good health." These Components are:

• Cardiorespiratory Fitness
• Body Composition
• Flexibility
• Muscular Strength
• Muscular Endurance

On the other hand, Skill Related Fitness Components are:

• Balance
• Reaction Time
• Coordination
• Agility
• Speed
• Power

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the definition of Physical Fitness emphasizes the difference between Health Related Physical Fitness and Athletic Ability Physical Fitness. Its point-of-departure is the "health" of the US nation, which is often referred to as the "public health perspective." In that respect, the 5 Health Related Fitness Components are more important than those related to Athletic Ability (or Skill Related Components).Although the concept of Health Related Fitness has an integral association with "good health", the 5 Components are addressed individually by health professionals to allow for their measurement.
Now that we have a deeper understanding of the term, what purpose does it serve?
Continuing from where the definition left off, the objective of measuring the 5 Components is to advise clients about their own particular Health Related Fitness, and to use data obtained from the tests to design appropriate exercise programs which can then be evaluated.
The 5 Components contribute evenly to make up a holistic Health Related Fitness, which is of direct interest to the health of the ordinary citizen, in that the concept is normative. In other words, it is a standard which allows for consistent application.
It is therefore important for those working in the health and fitness industry not to mistake "overall physical fitness" with "Health Related Physical fitness."
To conclude, let us consider this distinction between Physical Fitness and Health Related Fitness
One needs to bear in mind that regular physical exercise can improve overall Physical Fitness, as well as Health Related Fitness. However, overall fitness is a generic term and is up to subjective interpretation, while Health Related Fitness can be assessed.
The distinction therefore, between these two terms, exists in that Health Related Physical Fitness can be measured according to a set of established comparative norms.
This is where the "rubber hits the road." The guidelines set out by the ACSM enable health professionals to work with clients to assess and measure their response to exercise and prescribe appropriate exercise programs. A client's progress can then be monitored and adjusted where necessary in order to obtain the desired fitness goals.

Cleto Tirabassi is a certified Fitness Trainer with the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA).
His work centers on the "sensible approach" to Health Related Fitness, which entails the use of practical, flexible and sustainable methods to achieve optimal levels of health and physical fitness.
His clientele belongs mostly to the group he calls "average everyday people", who in short want to be in excellent shape, yet still lead a conventional life.

Tips to Eat Your Way to Six Pack Abs

Tips to Eat Your Way to Six Pack Abs

When it comes to getting in great shape, slimming down, and having a great midsection, most people under estimate how great nutrition can dramatically change their body shape. Here are five tips on how to uncover the six pack abs that you have always wanted.
Increase Protein
Just by increasing the amount of protein you consume every day by a few grams, can help a lot. The body uses more calories to digest proteins than carbohydrates, plus protein satisfies your appetite for more. An extra glass of skim milk, lean meat, or low fat cheese are great protein sources.
Increased Fiber
Increasing fiber makes you feel fuller longer. You can do this by using fiber supplements or eating fruits and vegetables.
Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup
Avoid high fructose corn syrup that is found in sodas and other sugary foods. Corn syrup dramatically slows your metabolism and all the calories just seem to end up around your waist.
Eat Frequently
This often seems counter intuitive to people who want to have six pack abs, but you should try and eat every few yours. Don't starve yourself. Starving yourself actually slows down your metabolism.
Avoid Evening Snacks
While you should eat frequently throughout the day, you should avoid eating any carbohydrates during the last few hours before bedtime. It is important to have some lean protein before bed to keep our metabolism active.
Just by incorporating a few of these tips you can literally eat your way to six pack abs. Try changing what you eat just for a few days and you will definitely feel your midsection already starting to tighten up.

Does Cheat Your Way Thin Actually Work?

Does Cheat Your Way Thin Actually Work?

The time I invested in searching for ways to shed the excess fat eventually bore fruit when I found the Cheat Your Way Thin diet. What caught my eye, was the claims that you still get to eat all the great foods (perhaps the ones that got me into this overweight situation in the first place!) and still lose weight quickly. Intrigued, I decided to give it a shot. After all, eating yummy foods and losing weight? What was the catch?
The majority of dieters find it hard to stay on a program that requires them to stop having the foods they love. Everyone would like to succeed, but staying off your food staples can be too challenging. We begin to cheat by just tasting a little one of our favorite, to find that in a few days we can't go on with the diet. So I thought something less restrictive which is also effective at the same time would be the ideal solution for me!
I must say the concept of the Cheat Your Way Thin diet sounded too good to be true initially. How can one shed pound after pound and have doughnuts, potato fries and bacon in the process? It sounds simply unbelievable! Reading more and more about the diet though, things actually start to make sense.
Removing all the stuff you love from your diet at one time will naturally cause you to give up shortly. That is why the very fact that this program allows you to go a little off track will contribute to keep you focused.
On closer examination, the theory starts to make sense to. On most other typical calorie controlled diets, you're metabolism starts to reduce with less calories and as a result the body can go into starvation mode and hold onto the fat. When 'cheating' however, the body increases its metabolism through the extra calories from the 'cheat' food, thereby burning more fat.
Now, let's keep put this into perspective though. The Cheat Your Way Thin diet does not encourage eating non nutritious foods all the time. Rather, it is in conjunction with a strict calorie controlled plan and exercise regime combined with the occasional 'cheat' days.
To be exact, this is what it looks like:
Two Days: Low Carbohydrate meals
Next 2 days: Avoid GI foods
Next 2 days: Avoid foods low in GI
One Cheat Day: Eat whatever you desire.
So this is a particularly well thought of plan wherein you feed your system what it needs without totally restricting yourself.
There is actually a handbook where you can find the complete information about it, along with various ways to assist you in reducing those extra pounds. It also contains a progress chart and various easy meal preparations for every day. Finally, you will also get to know about the adequate choice of meals to maximize your slimming and which carbohydrates will take you there.
The main focus of this plan is to make it possible for you to intensify your metabolic rate by twenty percent. This off course means that, even if you eat more, you will burn more fat! The book taught me the type and quantity of cardio I had to do in conjunction with the nutritional program, as well as when it is best done to ensure you maximize your results by 200 percent. that really impressed me!
The most encouraging fact about the Cheat Your Way Thin diet is that it actually delivers on its promises. I ate good sized meals and never found myself hungry at any point. Since I was allowed to cheat, I never found myself craving and just giving up on the diet either. That's so amazing, I even lost track of the fact that I had embarked on a slimming quest!
This routine is well described so there'll be no doubt as to how to proceed. Since you know in advance what is expected from you each day you are never caught off guard. The chart is great to monitor your progress and really helps keep you motivated. This diet is sure to work for all those people who can't resist the temptation of going back to their comfort foods every now and again. For one thing, it's an original concept, but in the end... It's simply effective!