I remember reading once that “all diets work” and all diets will help you to “lose” weight. The difficulty is that rather than maintain the weight loss we tend to go back to our poor eating habits and gain all of the weight that we lost back again. I disagreed.
I have long tried various diets and various methods to lose weight. I would rigorously follow the diet program and the scale would not move. Not a pound dropped off. Some women’s bodies are completely resistant to weight loss.
Biology has made it more challenging for women to lose weight. It is always easier for a man to lose weight because nature has designed women to hold on to fat. That is because in the case of a famine, a woman not only has to be able to keep herself alive but she must also be able to keep any offspring alive. Biology has just made it more difficult for women. It’s a fact of life.
But as you go you learn what works for weight loss and what doesn’t. Here are the top five weight loss rules for bodies that are resistant to losing.
The first rule is simple. You must eat. You must eat at least 3 meals and even as many as 6 small meals every day. Eating at regular intervals keeps you blood sugars level and it keeps you from bingeing and eating everything in site later. Your metabolism will keep burning calories if it knows there is no shortage. If your body believes it is starving your metabolism will shut down and your body will reserve the fat.
Second is to exchange quality for quantity. Empty calories that provide no inherent nutritional value do nothing to fill you up and eating nutritionally void food is a guaranteed way to pack on the pounds. Cravings are many times caused by a lack of vital nutrients so it is crucial to choose high quality, nutritionally dense foods. Steer clear of the “white stuff’, meaning white flour and white sugar.
Third, make sure that you eat some protein with every meal. High protein diets work because protein digests slower than carbohydrates; especially simple carbohydrates and they will not cause a sugar spike in your bloodstream. When you add protein you are not nearly as hungry later on and you end up consuming fewer calories.
The fourth rule is to choose your carbohydrates wisely. Simple carbohydrates like sweets, candy and actually anything made out of white flour will just spike your blood sugar, make you hungry and add to your fat deposits. Choose complex carbohydrates like whole grains and vegetables. These will give you fiber, which will also keep you fuller and will keep your digestive system functioning at its highest levels.
Fifth is to start an exercise program. Start moving. Take the stairs. Take a walk. Move more. You can start slow and work your way up but exercise is crucial for long-term weight loss success.
This is a lifetime commitment. Few people with weight problems conquer it once and never have to think of it again. It is a commitment you make everyday. But if you adhere to these rules for most of the time you will be on your way to a lean body.
