Many people become frustrated after trying many lose weight programs, diets, exercise routines, books and so forth only to never get the results they want. There are different reasons for having this difficulty, and it depends on your own body, mind and personality.
First of all, there probably isn't a single perfect diet or program that is best for everybody. When it comes to food, for example, some people naturally feel better with a high protein, low carb diet, while others seem to need more carbs. There are various theories about this, ranging from blood type to Ayurveda (the system of health and diet from India) to simply recognizing that people have different metabolisms. Regardless of why this is true, it does seem to be valid.
Similarly, when it comes to exercise, while almost everyone can increase their activity level, not everyone will get the best results from the same exercise program. In this area, you can probably look at your own preferences and come up with a good exercise regime that you are likely to stick with. For example, if you've always hated strenuous exercise, don't fool yourself into thinking you're suddenly going to change by attending a fitness boot camp or following the advice of the latest exercise guru. If you don't like to exercise, you should try something less exercise-like, such as walking or playing a game that you enjoy -one that involves movement, of course!
People are also different when it comes to what kind of environment is best for them to learn and improve. For example, if you are a group person who enjoys meeting new people and having a lot of support around you, you are a good candidate for something like Weight Watchers or another community-minded group. If you prefer to do things on your own, however, such a group will probably not work so well, and might even be counterproductive if you resent others pressuring you.
The fact is, no matter what kind of person you are physically or personality-wise, there is a way for you to lose weight! You have to be conscious when you try things, asking yourself what feels right and what doesn't. Sometimes people will actually succeed with a certain program and then simply get lazy and abandon it. This isn't the same thing as a program not being right for you. You have to be honest with yourself. Look back on your past successes and failures. Make a note of any periods in your life when you felt good or lost some weight and recall what you were doing.
In the future, when you read a book on diet, nutrition or weight loss, or consider signing up for a program, use your intuition and ask yourself, "Is this right for me?"
If you aren't sure, and it isn't a large investment, you may want to give it a try. Then, if it doesn't work, just be honest about it and be aware of why it wasn't your cup of tea and you'll be better equipped in the future to make better choices. When you look at everything as a learning experience, you don't have to label anything a failure.
Lose weight programs, diets and systems can get confusing. When it comes down to it, the diet or system is just a tool -it's never the final answer. When you start to pay attention to what really feels best for you, you can make real progress in your weight loss (and other) goals.
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