Simply Weight Loss — Losing Weight is Easy if You Stop Dieting
In theory, if you’re starving, exercising less helps conserve energy. But obviously you’re going to place finding food and eating at the top of your to do list. But dieters today do exactly what they shouldn’t do…exercise less if they were to starve and start dieting when trying to lose weight.
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System recently published their findings from a 21 state study with over 112,000 participants on how weight loss methods affect dieter’s success.
Each participant was placed into one of four categories based on the weight control method they used.
1. Increasing physical activity
2. Eating fewer calories
3. Combination of fewer calories with exercise
4. None (not trying to lose weight)
For those who were trying to lose weight, the most common weight practices were eating fewer calories without other methods (32.3% of women, 24.1% of men) and eating fewer calories with exercise (33.8% of women, 19.9% of men).
Increasing physical activity as a sole weight-loss practice was reported by 3.4% of women and 4% of men.
The last statistic on exercising without dieting is where I get lost. It’s hard for me to understand how only 3% of women and 4% of men use exercise as their sole weight loss practice. Is anything wrong with this?
Yes, we are wrong. The entire weight loss industry is wrong!
It all reminds me of a slogan from a few years ago, “Simply Weight Loss.” It represented a return to diet basics. And that’s when it hit me, a return to diet basics is what is wrong.
Dieting is Wrong
You’re too heavy and you need to lose weight. The extra pounds pushing you above your ideal weight, resulted from a chronic state of positive energy balance…eating more calories (energy) than the body needs.
This is usually followed by the question, “Why doesn’t my body just get rid of the extra energy?” I totally agree. Just get rid of all that extra energy, send it on it’s way.
Unfortunately, the laws of thermodynamics are what mess things up.
The tough law to get around involves the whole idea that you can’t create or destroy energy. It’s constant. Since you can’t simply destroy energy, you have no choice but to use the extra energy (packed into calories) or store it.
So, how does this make dieting wrong? Dieting only works in theory. In theory, dieting, which is synonymous with calorie restriction, causes total body energy to decrease in hopes of creating an energy deficit.
To make up for this deficit, the body will tap into energy stores to cover immediate needs. So, in theory, dieting causes weight loss.
Is this what occurs in dieters? Yes and no.
The Best Method for Using Stored Energy
Dieting, a.k.a. calorie restriction, slows down the resting metabolic rate, throwing the body into a state of energy conservation. This is not conducive of weight loss but instead is perfect for gaining weight.
Those dieters that do lose weight and keep it off, practice my concept of Slow & Low.
Now what? Exercise.
What is the best method for using the extra energy we didn’t use in the past? Exercise. Start an exercise program first, one that centers on muscle tone and strength, then use dieting on an as needed basis to lower total body energy.
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System published perfect statistics. We should be using exercise as a sole weight loss method more often.
To Healthy Living!
Michael Smith, MD
Chief Medical Consultant
Diet Basics Website
Dr. Michael Smith is the Chief Medical Consultant for Diet Basics, a content based website dedicated to the on-line dieter. Please visit Dr. Smith at the Best Weight Loss Program and learn about things like, “Your Real Dieting Problem” and “Diet Shock.” Dr. Smith’s site is true cutting edge material. In an internet full of weight loss “experts” it’s obvious when you find a real professional — The Diet Basics Website.
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Beating the Weight Loss Bandits
If you’re on a weight loss program you’re under constant attack – attack from the food bandits all around you.
There is food waiting to ambush your weight loss efforts at every turn.
- It’s there on every street corner: available, fast, in huge portions and full of fat.
- It’s there at every checkout: convenient, brightly-packaged and calling “Eat me! Eat me!”
- It’s there at work for every occasion: birthdays, promotions, leaving parties, “because it’s Friday”.
- It’s there at home brought to you larger than life on every TV set, seductively advertised, calling from the fridge and pantry “I’m here! Come and get me! You know you want to!”
Given that the food bandits are out there, what can you do about them?
Be ready to defend yourself!
Know your weak spots – those food temptations you find hard to resist, and plan to
1. Avoid Them
Keep away from fattening food as much as you can. Don’t drive past fast food outlets even if it means a detour. Keep tempting high-fat snacks out of your home. Give TV ads a wide berth – in fact give TV a miss altogether and get out and do something. Walk away from offers of food, declining as politely and firmly as possible. “No thanks, I’m not hungry just now” should be enough.
2. Use humour
Treat your encounter with food bandits with a sense of fun. Make a note in your mind that you’ve spotted one “Alert! Food bandit on left flank. Eyes right! Defeat!”
3. Don’t let them upset you
If you succumb once in a while to the food bandits, don’t let it get you down. Brush yourself down and be ready to come out fighting against the next lot.
4. Celebrate your successes no matter how small
Be delighted each time you spot and overcome a food bandit. Feel proud that you were able to show who’s in charge. You’re the boss!
Once you recognise the food bandits for what they are, they lose their power. Each time you take them on and defeat them, you’ll notice their influence over you diminish.
Gradually you get into the habit of ignoring the bandits. Long term result? – a slimmer, healthier, beautiful you, in total control of the food you eat.
About The Author
Janice is the publisher of a monthly newsletter “Think Slim” full of information on losing weight and keeping it off. See her website www.weight-loss-motivation-program.com for details and more resources for diet, fitness and weight loss.
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