Weight Loss Truths - Un-Sugar Coated

People are always trying to lose weight. Unfortunately, very few actually lose weight and half of them gain it all back within a couple of months after they lose it.

The weight loss business is one of the most lucrative businesses around. There are countless consumers who are desperately looking for that hassle-free solution to their weight problem. For this reason, there is never a shortage of quick fixes, "magic pills" and revolutionary machines and gadgets in the market.

Contrary to what some may think, weight loss does not come in a bottle or in the form of a machine. There are no short cuts, overnight miracles or FDA approved pills that you can pop into your mouth to melt away the fats, much less keep it off.

The following are things you would not want to hear but need to--facts about weight loss that will blast a lot of the myths and render null and void a lot of the claims made by weight loss product manufacturers. Brace yourself and take to heart these un-sugar coated weight loss truths.

Weight Loss Truth #1 - It is not possible to 5-10 pounds of body fat in a week.

Your excess weight took time to accumulate, and in the same way, it will take time to get rid off it. Realistically speaking, you can only lose 1-2 pounds of body fat a week and gain lean muscle at more or less the same rate.

True weight loss is fat loss. Sometimes people lose water, bone or muscle weight which is not desirable or healthy as this wreaks havoc on the metabolism.

Do not evaluate your weight loss success on your scale weight because it does not tell you what it is you actually lost. Is it really fat or is it muscle, bone or water?

Weight Loss Truth #2 - Fat loss cannot be achieved through quick fixes and fad diets.

Quick fixes and fad diets come with such promises as: Lose weight while you sleep! Lose 40 pounds a week! Lose weight without diet or exercise! These are all lies that advertisers come up with to get dieters to fork out hard earned cash on products that do not work. Whatever weight is lost though these rackets is not fat weight. It could be water, muscle or bone and as previously mentioned, this can lead to metabolic downgrade and increased fat stores.

Fat loss lotions, potions and gadgets do not work. To get rid of excess fat you need to have a good diet and a regular exercise routine. The weight loss product industry has conveniently omitted this truth from people's consciousness as it would deter them from making loads of money.

Weight Loss Truth #3 - You have to eliminate processed foods labelled "healthy," "low-fat," or "low-carb" from you diet.

The terms may seem harmless, even beneficial but remember, food labels can be misleading. Many times "diet foods" cause you to gain more weight in the long run. Do not let yourself be fooled by carefully worded labels, these foods are completely processed.

There are chemicals in pre-packaged meals and "diet foods" that your body cannot metabolize therefore slowing down your metabolism. When this happens, you burn calories more slowly. In addition, when these substances are not expelled from your body, they become toxins and get stuck in your fat cells making it harder to lose fat.

Weight Loss Truth #4 - To lose fat, you need to exert physical effort.
Your body needs both nourishment and physical activity. To lose fat you have to eat right and exercise. It may be unpleasant but it if you want to get rid of your excess fat, you must do it.

You do not have to workout in a gym to exercise, you can walk, hike, swim, play a sport etc. Find something you really enjoy and get to it!

Weight Loss Truth #5 - A weight loss product will not make you end up looking like a supermodel.

Not to say that you're a hopeless case, but what I'm saying is that many people are made to believe that if they take a certain product they will end up like the models they see on the weight loss ads featuring that product.

Models work on their looks, they diet, they exercise, they get all sorts of treatments because it's their job to look great and they get paid loads of money just to endorse a product.

Weight Loss Truth #6 - Muscle is not heavier than fat.
Trainers say it all the time that muscle is heavier than fat. This is a huge misconception, even Dr. Phil and Bob Greene (Oprah's personal trainer) believe it and have even mentioned it on national TV.

A more accurate way of putting it is that muscle is denser than fat. Five pounds of fat will take up much more space than five pounds of muscle. Thus muscle looks a lot better because the body looks tighter and curvier in contrast to the flabby, blubbery appearance of a body layered with fat. Also, the more muscles you have, the faster your metabolism.

Weight Loss Truth #7 - There's no such thing as spot reducing exercise.

This is a classic. People think that doing a hundred crunches a day will flatten their abs or that a thousand leg lifts would firm up their thighs. What these exercises will do is build up the muscles beneath all the layers of fat but they will not spot reduce your problem area.

Getting rid of flab requires a combination of diet and exercise. You should eat several small balanced meals. Unprocessed foods are strictly not allowed. You should also do fat burning and strength training exercises regularly. When you begin to lose your body fat, your problem areas will also begin to look better.

Weight Loss Truth #8 - Weight loss is a lifestyle.
Real and quality weight loss is reducing body fat and building up lean muscle. It is not a one-shot deal but a lifestyle change that one makes a lifetime commitment to. If you achieve your weight goal and then go back to your old ways, you are bound to gain back all the weight you lost and maybe even more and you will have to work two times harder to get back in shape again.

Make a switch to a healthy lifestyle of eating right and exercising regularly and do it for the rest of your life. Not only will you become fit and energetic but you will also look younger and it will prevent early degenerative disease.

Being in good health and in good shape is not a matter of genetics, it's a choice you make. Choose right.

Weight Loss Truths Conclusion

Now that you are armed with the weight loss truths, use them to improve yourself. Nobody can take care of your health and body for you. It is you who will reap the consequences of all that you do to it. If you want to lose weight and be healthy, you have to work daily at eating right and doing your exercises. Once you have achieved your weight loss goal, just keep on doing what you have started. Make it a part of your daily routine such as shaving and brushing your teeth.

If you treat your body right, you will reap a lifetime of benefits.

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