The Secret to Successful Weight Loss!

The Secret of Successful Weight Loss. I'm sure you're as sick & tired of all the wonder diets, the new fads, the magic pills, as I am. Every time we turn on the tellie, or pick up a magazine, we're bombarded with another new- fangled diet plan. But do they really work? What is the real secret to succesful weight loss - and not just losing it, but keeping it off? I'm going to share with you the simplist of facts, which in all honesty, IS the secret we have all been looking for and never realised it was right in front of us. The secret to successful weight loss is this:- Eat less calories than you burn! Sounds simple enough doesn't it. Well, if it was THAT simple, I'm sure we wouldn't have the weight problems we are seeing all around the world today. We all know of people who skip meals, or eat only 'rabbit' food for weeks on end or try any number of methods to reduce their calorie intake with no real weight loss results to show for their efforts. What about the ones who end up so run down and exhausted from extensive exercise programs and restricted diets, that it's a wonder they can still get out of bed in the mornings. What are they missing? Is there more to the 'secret'? No! The 'secret' or 'formula' is really the only path to successful long term weight loss & maintenance - but there is more to our bodies than just blood, sweat & tears! Have you ever taken the time to think about all the amazing functions our bodies carry out on a daily basis, without any programing or input from us? Our bodies are complex machines in operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and we need to know the right types of calories to consume so we can fuel all the essential services our bodies perform everyday! Not to mention, the busy lifestyles we all lead and need a bounty of energy for. And, if you're like me, you don't want to miss out on your favourite foods, or eat rabbit food all day long, or worse yet, feel hungry or lag energy all day. I'm sure there isn't one person on the planet who would put water in the fuel tank of their car and expect it to run, let alone run at its peak performance, yet, many of us feed our bodies empty calories and expect it to function day in and day out without a hitch. So, what we need to look at is eating less calories a day than our bodies need so it will draw on some of our 'fat' reserves AND to consume the right types of calories to fuel our bodies and get optimal performance every day. What are the right types of foods to choose then? Just before I get into that, I want to share a piece of information with you which will help emphasis why it is so important to eat the right types of foods and not just eat less calories every day. Our body fat takes zero calories to maintain regardless of what activity you are pursuing YET our lean muscle takes 32 calories per kilo just to exist while your sitting at your desk! So, with this bit of info under our belts, pardon the pun, we better understand the importance of chosing the right sorts of food to enhance and build our lean muscle and not the types of foods that will add to our ever increasing percentage of body fat! Protein builds lean muscle and is needed by virtually every cell in the body and is a fantastic weight control food. However, we need to source our protein not just from animal sources, but from plants as well. Soy protein is an excellent source of protein, without the added saturated fats AND higher calories associated with animal protein. Soy also helps maintain and improve our heart health. Protein also is responsible for a chemical being released in the brain that literally blocks the 'carb' cravings which when acted upon can and does lead to weight gain. To put this information into practice can often be the real challenge. On average a woman needs 100g protein a day and men need 150g. Here's the challenge - how to consume enough protein without too many calories. Research tells us that pesonalised weight loss programs coupled with ongoing support are the most successful with the 'go-it-alone' approach is the least successful. {{ The trick is to find a program that offers you everything... One that focuses on consuming a high enough protein intake (preferably soy), is low in calories AND comes with some form of support and coaching. Also aim to find a program that fits in with your life as the better it fits, the easier it is and the more likely you are of sticking with it. And finally, committ to whatever program you do choose, because the more consistant you are, the better your results will be. Good Luck and In Health :) }}