Proper weight management is about much more than simply
focusing on a single number, your weight. There are other, very
important, objective measurements to add to your intellectual
toolkit - BMI, waist circumference, body fat percentage,
muscle-to-fat ratio and others - in order to achieve a physical
result.
That physical result, too, should be more than just reducing a
number. Your fundamental goals are to look attractive and
optimize your health. Everything else is a means to those ends.
The first step to achieving those interlocking twin goals is to
recognize that there are no short cuts, no easy and safe
'miracle cures'. There are aids that modern nutritional and
exercise science can supply. By all means, take advantage of
them.
But along with proper nutritional supplements, appetite
suppressants and the like, it's still essential to have a
proper diet and adequate daily exercise.
Some appetite suppressants, when used under a reputable
doctor's guidance, can be a helpful short-term addition to the
overall program.
But when you stop taking them, in the overwhelming majority of
cases, the weight will quickly return unless they are only part
of an overall strategy. That strategy has to include good
nutrition and proper exercise.
There are hundreds of fad diets around. The 'low carb, high
protein' diet is one of the latest. People following them often
experience rapid weight loss, initially. But the long term
benefits are few and the costs are high.
Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for the body.
When the body has a shortage of available carbohydrates
(chiefly glucose) to use to produce energy, it turns to other
sources.
One result of that, though, is often muscle loss and not just
fat consumption.
Low carbohydrate diets reduce the amount of glucose available
in the muscles and liver. That leads to muscle fatigue and less
tone. At the same time, that fatigue also makes exercise more
difficult and less pleasant.
It also leads to a lower basal metabolic rate, which means
fewer calories will be consumed per hour than would otherwise
be the case.
That's an unhealthy trade off for a rapid, short-term weight
loss.
What's needed instead is a disciplined, long-term commitment to
lifestyle change. That, admittedly, is much more difficult than
simply changing a few things on the menu. It requires learning
more about nutrition, and more care in the selection of things
to eat.
It may mean substituting whole grain brown rice for potatoes.
It means substituting fruits for ice cream and candy as
dessert.
At the same time a person is struggling to change eating
habits, something very difficult to do when the body is urging
a return to the old items, another hurdle needs to be overcome:
beginning a regular exercise program.
Regular exercise is the second factor essential to proper
weight management.
It isn't necessary to become a fitness fanatic, but a regular
series of vigorous running or weight lifting or other form of
age-appropriate exercise is critical. That requires great
willpower, to be sure.
Most people give up too soon, because they try too hard at
first. That results in injury and abandoning the program.
Think long term, make changes slowly but permanently, and
you'll find that weight is the last thing you have to think
about. Your general appearance and health will improve. Those
are the ends to keep in mind.
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