Do You Know What to Do?

As I promised a couple of posts ago, today I'm going to touch on one of the three ways people fool themselves into thinking they should be losing weight, when, in fact, they won't without addressing these issues. To review, here are the three ways one can self-deceive regarding weight loss and be very disappointed:

1. Thinking they know what to do when they really don't.

2. Thinking they know how to do it (effectively) when they really don't.

3. Thinking they are already doing what they need to do when they really aren't.

Seems pretty simple when you look at it in those terms, doesn't it? The problem is, more often then not, these questions aren't really posed or held up to reasonable scrutiny. Otherwise, a lot more people would be losing weight.

Let's start with the first one. In order to lose weight, you have to be in a continual state of energy deficit. That means more calories out than in. And not just a few if you want to lose weight at faster than a snail's pace. If your goal is to lose six pounds or more in a month, and your current habits (eating and exercise) have you at a stabilized weight, a good plan would have you burning about 2000 calories a week (400 calories each in five workouts or 500 calories each in four workouts, for example) and trimming another 500 calories from your current daily average. But most people who want to lose weight are NOT currently at equal calories in and out, but are taking in an average surplus. That's how the fat accumulated in the first place. And when you start exercising, you get hungrier, so the natural tendency is to eat more of the same calories-dense food you're used to eating. So progress is minimal, if any.

That's why a radical change in eating habits concentrating on only nutrient-dense foods - see my index on the top left for more info on that - is required. And the exercise has to be consistent, challenging and gradually progressive as well. It should be hard. All the time. And harder as you get more fit and can handle it better. Of course, your physician's clearance is critical before starting a program like this.

Are you doing both of these things consistently? Are you sure?

I'll expand on numbers 2 and 3 above in the next few posts.