It is not unusual for people who
decide they want to lose weight to think that they need to eat
less in order to shed the pounds. They think that the less they
eat the more weight they will lose.
This is so far from the truth!
Adopting a starvation method of weight loss is not the answer to
their problems. This method of trying to lose weight is
detrimental to your system, and can cause more damage to your
system than any other type of dieting.
Let me explain why starvation
diets don't work, and what you can do to lose the weight safely.
The reason why starvation
diets don't work :
Your body needs certain
nutrients in order to function properly and stay healthy. Once
you reduce the number of calories to below that your body needs,
then your body will assume that it is being starved and will
store everything you eat thereafter as fat. It's your body's own
'safety mechanism' which is triggered in an attempt to prevent
starvation. So what really happens is that instead of losing
weight you actually gain it!
Another big problem that the
starvation method causes is that the longer you starve your
body, the more of an excuse you are giving it to begin feeding
off of itself! When you body is deprived of essential nutrition
it starts to feed off itself starting with your muscles. You'll
end up reaching a point where you just have to eat normally
again for health reasons. What happens now is that your body
immediately puts on the weight it lost, plus some more, and you
won't have the same degree of muscular strength that you did
before you started.
What you can do to lose
weight safely :
You need to approach dieting in
a healthy way. If you are really serious about improving your
health and weight then the first thing you need to do is visit
your doctor and discuss what the best plan of action is right
for you. Your doctor will be able to tell you how many calories
you need to be consuming each day in order to lose weight
safely. This will be determined by your height, age and
lifestyle.
You also need to understand
that there is no such thing as "healthy, rapid weight loss". To
remain healthy you should be aiming to lose about two or three
pounds per week. This may vary from person to person, but that's
about average. Quite often you may lose up to about seven pounds
in the first weeks of healthy eating, but then it should settle
down to a sensible weight loss.
Avoid cutting out meals and eat
several small meals each day at regular intervals. Eating
smaller meals at regular intervals will help to keep your
metabolism in high-gear, constantly burning off fat. Eating an
apple or a banana as a snack is both healthy and will help you
to maintain your energy levels.
