If you're considering going on a weight loss program, it can be confusing and even a little scary. Questions come to mind and you aren't sure of the answers. Which programs or products really work? Are they safe? Do they really get the results that they claim? Shall I use supplements or diets or exercise? What's the best program for me? Well, I'm going to give you some guidance in this area. I'll be discussing why you should be focusing on fat loss not weight loss. When you focus on fat loss, instead of weight loss, you're headed in the right direction toward a sensible and effective fat loss program. Let me explain.
The weight loss industry is a $55 billion a year business. The marketing of diets, diet foods, supplements, weight loss products, and exercise systems to help people lose weight is a very competitive business. As such, many misleading and false claims are offered by some companies to gain the sales advantage in this lucrative market.
For instance, many weight management or diet programs entice you to use their program with claims such as "you will lose 30 pounds in 30 days". The most ridiculous claim I've seen was made by a diet supplement company who claimed that their product could "blast up to 49 pounds off user in only 29 days, obliterate 5 inches from waistlines, and zap 3 inches from thighs, without dieting or exercising". Needless to say, the FTC slapped a restraining order against this company for their obviously false claims.
There are many weight loss or diet programs that claim that you can lose a lot of weight in a short period of time. Some of these claims are false. Also, some of them are true, but the fast weight loss is unsafe and unhealthy for you. If you're in the "market place" looking for solutions to reducing your weight, then you need to be educated about which approach is the most effective, healthiest and safest for you.
The ultimate goal in losing weight is to lose body fat exclusively. Many weight loss programs will help you to lose weight fast. However, many of the fast weight loss programs cause you to lose muscle along with the fat. Any fast weight loss program that claims you can "lose 30 pounds in 30 days" will most likely cause you to lose muscle along with the fat loss. This is self-defeating since muscle uses energy to function and the additional muscle loss will cause your metabolism to drop which reduces your fat burning capacity. This why you must participate in a program that focuses on fat loss instead of weight loss.
Losing body fat is all about creating an energy deficit. To lose body fat, you must expend more energy than you ingest (in food and drink). This situation creates an energy deficit that must be made up from stored carbohydrates, stored fat or muscle tissue. The trick is to create an energy deficit in a manner that spares the muscle and uses primarily fat to make up the deficit. "Crash" or starvation diets cause an excessive energy deficit which results in consuming fat and muscle to satisfy the deficit.
An effective fat loss program should be specifically designed to remove body fat in a sensible and safe manner with the main focus on losing body fat and losing inches, not just pounds. To accomplish this, the fat loss program must be designed with three key components:
Resistance Training - to create an energy deficit while sparing the muscle from being used to satisfy the energy deficit and also building muscle to increase the metabolism.
Cardio Training - to create an energy deficit while improving endurance, energy and cardiovascular health.
Sensible Diet - to create a moderate caloric intake deficit through proper food selection and portion control.
An effective fat loss program should be designed to induce a bodyweight loss of about 1-2 pounds per week (or 1% of your bodyweight per week). Weight management experts, weight loss doctors, and obesity experts recommend these guidelines for any sensible, safe and effective weight/fat loss program. Higher weight losses per week can result in muscle loss.
I hope this "sheds some light" on the confusing and complex subject of weight loss. If you want more information, check out my website for more detailed information on the features and benefits of an effective and safe fat loss program.
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