The Obsession with Natural Weight Loss

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Losing weight has become an obsession for many people in today’s society.  We are constantly being bombarded with advertisements that show incredibly skinny models and actresses so it’s not surprising that individuals want to drop weight to look their best.   If you’re looking to lose weight and keep it off, you should skip the fad diets and consider natural weight loss for lasting results.

Explaining Fad Diets

Fad diets are diets that promise quick and easy weight loss.  One of the main problems with fad diets is that they do not address the reason for your initial weight gain. Fad diets usually result in short term weight loss which is a reason why some people find them appealing.  However, if you don’t learn what caused your weight gain in the first place, you will see weight gain once you stop the fad diet and return to your normal eating behaviors.  Following fad diets can also be quite unhealthy because the diets often involve eliminating healthy nutrients such as complex carbohydrate (seen in low or no carbohydrate diets), dietary fiber and essential fatty acids (seen in low-fat diets).  To figure out if you’re falling for fad diets question diets that claim to provide quick weight loss without the need to count calories or exercise or those that promote “fat-burning” supplements.  And remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, so steer clear.

The Benefits of Natural Weight Loss

Natural weight loss is a popular option for individuals who are looking for sustained weight loss.  Natural weight loss involves commitment and perseverance, as it can take time to see weight loss results.  Making changes to your lifestyle by adopting natural weight loss approaches will help you to lose weight and prevent future weight gain.  This is why natural weight loss appeals to those that are serious and committed to losing weight.

Making changes to your diet may be difficult in the beginning but will be worth it in the long run.  Balanced diets consisting of a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy products and lean meats will provide you with all of the essential vitamins and minerals that you need for good health benefits.  What many people fail to remember is that portion control is also essential for weight loss.  Consuming the correct amount of calories for your activity level will help to ensure that you aren’t consuming more calories than you need to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle.  Cutting out all treats from your diet isn’t necessary, but be smart about it and consume them within moderation.  Completely cutting out sweets will only lead to possible junk food binges which will lead to unwanted weight gain.   In addition to changing food choices in your diet, making sure that you’re drinking enough water is also important.

RELATED READING: Why is the Western Diet So Deadly?

The next component of natural weight loss is physical activity.  This doesn’t mean that you have to join a gym and commit unrealistic amounts of time to working out.  Exercising in a way that you enjoy will help to keep you on the right track for natural weight loss.  Whether it’s walking, jogging, cycling, gardening or playing with your children, engaging in an activity that you actually enjoy will help you to keep doing it.  If you do something you enjoy, it won’t feel like “work” and will become an enjoyable part of your normal, healthy day.

Another component of natural weight loss is emotional health.  Venturing into a natural weight loss program with a friend will help to ensure success.  You’ll have someone to bounce your questions and concerns off of and discuss any difficulties that you’re having.

Making other healthy lifestyle choices such as quitting smoking, decreasing your consumption of alcohol and managing stress will all help to live a healthy lifestyle.  All of these components will help you achieve natural weight loss ~ not only will you look good, you’ll also feel good.

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