General Weight Loss

For many individuals, successfully losing weight can be a challenging task, if not a life-long endeavor. However, by deciding to take an active role in your overall health and fitness, you have taken the first step toward achieving a lifestyle that is filled with good health and mental well-being.

The next step is to determine your exact approach to safely and effectively achieving your optimum weight while improving the level of your overall health at the same time.

One of the first decisions that you will need to make is what dietary weight loss approach best suits your current health conditions and lifestyle.

What you consume (or do not consume) is one of the primary factors associated with safe and effective weight loss. Below are several weight loss dietary approaches to consider.

Things to Consider when Choosing a Weight Loss Approach

There are several viable approaches to effectively and safely losing weight in a reasonable timeframe. However, some weight loss approaches are more conducive to good health, fitness and mental well-being than others. In general, the best approach to effective, safe and lasting weight loss is to modify the behavior, or lack of behavior, that is causing the weight gain.

In other words, a healthy lifestyle that is filled with consuming natural, well-balanced and nutritious whole foods that are low in fat, coupled with regular physical activity and exercise, will create a lifestyle that is conducive to achieving and maintaining your optimum body weight. Below are several weight loss approaches that may be ideal for you.

But first, there are several factors to consider when choosing a weight loss approach that is ideal for your specific weight condition. Below are several items to consider prior to determining which weight loss approach is best for you:

• Current level of nutritional intake.

• Current weight level and the amount of weight loss desired.

• Amount of time you are able to spend shopping for and preparing your meals.

• Current level of health.

• Current level of physical activity.

• Do you have any physical disabilities that will limit your ability to perform a physical activity or exercise?

• Do you have difficulties controlling your eating habits?

• Do you consume foods out of emotion?

• Are you going to add some form of physical activity or exercise routine to your weight loss plan?

• Do you binge eat?

• Do you have any medical conditions that necessitate losing weight at a rapid rate (i.e. do you have a medical condition that is life-threatening and related to your weight level)?

• Are you currently taking any medications that may interact or interfere with your weight loss plan?

The Various Weight Loss Approaches

It is important to spend some time considering the pros and cons of each weight loss approach. Several weight loss approaches introduce new health risks and can include several possible side effects. It is imperative that you thoroughly understand all aspects of each of the weight loss approaches. This includes understanding the rate of weight loss that is expected with each of the weight loss approaches.

In other words, if the typical rate of weight loss is 2 to 5 pounds per week, expecting to lose 10 to 15 pounds per week will not only be unsafe, but create frustration and a desire to quit. Under this scenario, not only will you fail to achieve your personal weight loss goals, but the failure will only serve to reinforce negative thoughts that manifest themselves in the form of depression, low self-esteem, self-doubt and a hesitancy to try again.

It's also important to view your weight loss efforts as a modification to your daily lifestyle. All too often, individuals lose excess body weight and simply regain the weight over time. This scenario is unhealthy for your body, and for your mental stability and tenacity as well. For this reason, most individuals need to focus on slightly modifying their lifestyle habits and then incorporating those modifications into their daily routine. Over time, the lifestyle modifications will become more natural and embed themselves in your daily approach to life. This will facilitate a lifestyle that promotes good health, fitness and mental well-being.

Food Intake - Dietary Meals Prepared by Company

The first type of weight loss approach is centered around food intake. There are two primary weight loss approaches under the food intake approach. The first food intake approach to weight loss is where the individual becomes a member of a weight loss company that prepares well-balanced, low-calorie, low-fat meals and ships them to your door.

This approach may appeal to individuals that want a well-defined food intake weight loss plan that eliminates most of the guesswork, is easy to follow, and reduces the temptation of preparing unhealthy or high-calorie foods. In addition, individuals that are pressed for time may find that this approach fits well with their current schedule.

Food Intake - Dietary Meals Prepared by the Individual

The second food intake approach centers around a weight loss company providing their members with a large array of healthy low-calorie recipes. Under this scenario, the individual chooses their meals from a list of approved meals provided by the company and prepares them themself.

This approach may be appealing to individuals that enjoy cooking and want to retain the flexibility of choosing what types of foods they consume. In addition, individuals with families often find it more convenient to prepare a single healthy low-calorie meal for the entire family instead of preparing a meal for the family and a separate meal for themselves.

Appetite Suppressants

Appetite suppressants are designed to decrease food cravings and hunger. By doing so, the individual may tend to consume a lower daily number of calories. This may create a caloric deficit where the individual burns more calories than they consumed. The end result, in the event that this scenario occurs, will be weight loss. In many cases, appetite suppressants can be effective for individuals that are wanting to lose weight but find it difficult to control their food cravings. In addition, appetite suppressants may be beneficial for individuals that tend to binge eat or consume foods based on the state of their emotional well-being.

However, it is important to understand that the body requires healthy and nutritious foods on a daily basis. This being said, curbing one's appetite to the point where they become nutritionally-deficient is not the answer. For this reason, all appetite suppressants should be used with caution.

Metabolism Stimulants

Metabolism stimulants are designed to increase the number of calories the body burns on a daily basis. When your body burns more calories than it consumes, a caloric deficit is created. In the event that a daily caloric deficit is achieved, the body will consume stored sources for energy.

Most metabolism stimulants contain some form of stimulant that will not only increase an individual's metabolism, but their heart rate as well. This being said, many individuals find that metabolism stimulants make them feel jittery and nauseous, and they can also led to hypertension and insomnia. Several types of metabolism stimulants are amphetamine-based and require a prescription to acquire. In addition, metabolism stimulants have been known to come with several negative side effects including high blood pressure, addiction, stroke and even heart attack. For this reason, metabolism stimulants should be used with caution, and in most cases are not recommended by this website.

Choosing an Exercise Routine to Complement Your Weight Loss Approach

In addition to choosing a dietary weight loss approach that fits your lifestyle and current health requirements, it is highly recommended that you add, and regularly perform, an exercise routine to increase your rate of weight loss and to improve your overall health. By doing so, you will not only increase the number of calories that you burn per day (through exercise), but you'll also decrease the number of calories you consume per day (through diet).

By combining the two approaches, you will accelerate the rate at which you lose weight. This combination is the single best approach for effective, safe and sustainable weight loss. Below are several exercise approaches that can be coupled with an effective dietary routine to produce a lifestyle that is healthy, balanced and centered. 

• Weight Training: This form of exercise is often performed to increase lean muscle mass, strength and endurance, while simultaneously offering moderate success in terms of weight loss.

  Since weight training increases muscle mass and density, the individual's metabolism (Basal Metabolic Rate) increases as well. This will increase the number of calories the body burns on a daily basis.

  Weight training also reduces the chances of osteoporosis by strengthening and maintaining bone density, and improves muscular endurance.

  In addition, regularly performing A strength training routine decreases resting blood pressure, decreases the risk of adult onset diabetes, decreases the risk of several forms of cancer, increases HDL (good type) cholesterol blood levels, strengthens the immune system, lowers the resting heart rate, improves balance and coordination, and increases mental well-being and mood.

• Aerobics/Cardiovascular: This is the most effective form of exercise to promote and stimulate weight loss. Clinical studies have shown that continuous and extended sessions of moderate aerobic activity are most effective for stimulating the burning of additional calories, and hence, body fat.

  Additional benefits associated with performing aerobic activities include decreases in the risk of heart-related diseases, lowers resting heart rate, improves blood circulation by eliminating cholesterol from the arteries, promotes body fat as the primary fuel source, improves mood and reduces stress, increases Basal Metabolic Rate (metabolism), decreases blood pressure, reduces LDL cholesterol blood levels, tones muscles, improves balance, coordination and posture, increases oxygen levels in blood, increases flexibility, and reduces the probability of injury.

• Yoga/Flexibility: Although yoga and other flexibility exercises are not typically associated with weight loss, the benefits of added flexibility, blood circulation and decreased stress have been shown to promote weight loss. One reason for weight loss under this form of exercise is that many individuals find that they consume less food (binge eating) when their mind is more relaxed.

  In addition, all yoga, Pilates and stretching routines do burn calories in and of themselves. Additional health benefits include increased muscular strength and tone, improved respiratory efficiency, improved lymphatic and circulatory system functionality, improved posture, a toned stomach and slimmer waist, improved flexibility, decreased risk of back injury, increased joint mobility and range of motion, greater mental clarity and focus, and lower stress levels.

Tips to Consider for General Weight Loss

Consider these tips as you develop and implement your specific weight loss program. As you progress through your weight loss program, continually focus on each of the tips listed below. By doing so, you will find that your clarity, purpose, focus and probability of obtaining your optimum body weight will greatly improve.

1. Take time to observe the additional benefits associated with your weight loss and improved level of health. Typical observations include increased quality of life, improved self esteem, reduction of health risks, reduction of depression and stress, and improved athletic ability and stamina.

2. Remember to consult a medical physician prior to embarking on any weight loss plan.

3. Continually ask yourself why you want to lose weight. Question your level of commitment. Allow yourself the ability to recover from your mistakes or setbacks and accept that they happen from time to time.

4. In order to lose weight regularly and effectively, you will need to change the types of foods you consume, as well as how you prepare them and when you eat them. Monitor your overall behavior and your daily level of activity.

5. Set realistic timelines, milestones and goals. Be reasonable and do not expect unrealistic results.

6. When you eliminate 3,500 calories, you will lose 1 lb. of body weight. Whether you do so through diet, exercise, or preferably a combination of both, you can expect to lose a pound every time you create a deficit of 3,500 calories.

7. If you choose a dietary program that mainly promotes foods that you do not care for, your diet will most likely fail. Make sure that your diet consists of foods that you enjoy eating.

8. Try to avoid measuring results on a daily basis. Results do not occur overnight. Checking your progress too often may lead to discouragement, loss of focus and decreased motivation.

In theory, weight loss is simple to understand and simple to obtain. In reality, it is one of the most difficult battles most individuals will ever face.

Safe and effective weight loss requires a moderate understanding of the human body, discipline, focus, will power and a modification to how you live your life.

With most individuals leading a busy and hectic lifestyle, it often becomes difficult to focus on regularly performing an exercise routine and continually consuming whole foods that are balanced, nutritious, high in vitamins and minerals and low in fat.

However, with only a few minor lifestyle modifications and a fair amount of focus and dedication, most individuals can not only achieve their personal weight loss goals, but can lead a healthy, fit, and mentally stable life as well.

This being said, it is our hope at Fitnesshealth101.com that we are able to provide you with several ideas and approaches that you find beneficial in your weight loss efforts and the obtainment of all your personal fitness goals.