| Short answer…Absolutely! | | | | succeed for a while, but eventually we will succumb to |
| The most important factor for successful weight loss | | | | the pressure. It’s like the quote I once heard, dieting |
| is to burn more calories than you consume. It really is | | | | is like holding your breath underwater, eventually you |
| that simple. | | | | have to come up for air. |
| Diets nowadays are blaming the current obesity | | | | What’s the point of going on a super strict diet for |
| epidemic on a particular food source. It’s too many | | | | a few weeks, only to put the weight back on because |
| carbohydrates, too much fat. Blah, blah, blah! | | | | you found the diet unbearable? It may be 6 years |
| Wouldn’t eating too much food and exercising less | | | | from now and you still look the same! (Trust me I |
| have something to do with it? Don’t you think this | | | | know!) |
| would make us overweight, causing a lot of health | | | | REMEMBER, TO LOSE WEIGHT, PAY ATTENTION |
| problems? Or is what I am saying to logical for the | | | | TO HOW MUCH YOU EAT… NOT WHAT YOU |
| dieting community to take seriously? | | | | EAT |
| What we eat is not nearly as important as how much | | | | Now obviously eating healthy has some benefits too. |
| we eat. We will put on weight if we eat more calories | | | | But if you are struggling to lose weight, start by |
| then our body needs. It doesn’t matter if its | | | | focusing primarily on how much you eat. Worry about |
| “super healthy foods” such as egg whites, | | | | cleaning up your diet after you have lost the weight. |
| protein powder, vegetables or less than “healthy | | | | Don’t you think losing all that excess body fat will |
| foods” like chocolate, pizza and ice cream, we will | | | | make you a lot healthier anyway? |
| put on weight no matter what the food is, if it is more | | | | I first heard of this principle of a calorie is a calorie from |
| calories then we use. | | | | the late great bodybuilding champion Mike Mentzer. |
| At the same time, we will lose weight no matter what | | | | There were stories of him infuriating other bodybuilders |
| the food source is, if we eat less than our body needs | | | | as he would eat Danishes and other “off limit |
| a day. (You would be shocked if you saw how | | | | foods” in front of them while they were following |
| unhealthy I eat sometimes!) | | | | the strictest of diets before a contest. He said that all |
| A calorie is a calorie. I know people argue this point to | | | | he was worried about was eating 2500 calories a day. |
| death, but it’s true. All calories are created equal. | | | | I also noticed a lot of people lose weight by simply |
| Our body cannot tell the difference between a calorie | | | | eating less. Early on, I believed in the high protein, low |
| coming from an orange, and a calorie coming from | | | | carb, low fat diets and would recommend them to my |
| French fries. It is all energy that can be burnt off or | | | | clients. I was surprised when some of them were |
| stored as fat if not used. | | | | losing fat….fast, without following my |
| So then, if this is the case, wouldn’t it make sense | | | | recommendations. They weren’t eating nowhere |
| to follow a diet that you enjoy and can stick to for a | | | | near enough protein; they were eating plenty of foods I |
| long time? If you eat a diet you hate… how long do | | | | said were “forbidden” and were often stopping |
| you think you could stick too it? | | | | into take away stores! They were simply getting |
| If we deprive ourselves from having something we | | | | results because they started training and were eating |
| love, this only intensifies cravings to the point where it | | | | less than their body needed. |
| becomes unbearable, resulting in us, sooner or later, | | | | Another example is people who lose weight on |
| giving in to temptation. | | | | programs such as Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers. |
| Ultimately, it is these strong cravings for foods we | | | | They simply eat balanced calorie controlled meals. |
| cannot eat which cause us to give up. Diets that are | | | | Many of these programs simply focus on total calorie |
| low in carbohydrates force us to crave more sugary, | | | | intake and total calorie expenditure by using a points |
| carbohydrate rich foods. Diets low in fat cause us to | | | | system. |
| crave fatty foods, and the worst of all, low calorie | | | | The amount of evidence and real world examples |
| diets cause us to crave overeating. | | | | backs up that a calorie is a calorie. So if you are |
| I also found on many restrictive diets, that I was | | | | struggling to stick to unrealistic diets, just remember |
| craving (and eventually pigging out on) foods I | | | | that the most important thing is how much you eat. So |
| wouldn’t normally eat. For me, it was probably | | | | don’t be afraid to have a slice of pizza or a piece |
| more like a rebellion from the lack of freedom I had | | | | of cake if you crave it. Most importantly, don’t feel |
| while trying to stick to the diet! | | | | guilty for eating it…enjoy it! |
| Our willpower is too powerful to fight against. We may | | | | |