Is Fast Weight Loss a Myth?

Fast weight loss myths exposed
If you are anything like me then you would have had your fair share of weight loss marketing bombardments over the years. Everywhere we look we see adverts for "wonder" products; products that promise to shed our excess weight in days rather than months.

We learn of pills, shakes, pre-made meals and everything in between in those ads. Sadly though, these highly praised methods of losing weight rarely work long-term. They are a quick solution to ruin your health and body if you so wish. The reason being, they are losing you essential body fluids, rather than fat, making it look as if you lose weight in the process.

As you can see, fast weight loss is an illusion with these products because the minute you stop taking your pills, shakes and meal replacements, your excess body weight creeps back on; and often the merrier.

How to beat the fast weight loss merry-go-round
Beating the fast weight loss merry-go-round, the endless up and downs of y-yo dieting is not hard with some knowledge and understanding of how your body works. To start with you have to understand that nutrition is key to health. The same goes for balance in your diet. Anything in excess is detrimental to your weight loss efforts and will only serve to counter your efforts.

Eat a balanced diet
The first step in beating the yo-yo behavior most of us have is to eat a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, protein rich meats and seafood, pulses and healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, etc.
Losing weight comes natural when you learn to stop over-indulging. Stick with foods that are low in salt and sugar and avoid carbohydrates for most of the time. We eat far too much bread and sweet things and that is one reason why so many people are obese. Not to mention fast food.

Fast weight loss can be achieved by following these basic principles of nutrition. Add regular exercise into the mix and you are well on your way to lose weight fast.

By Sandro Burns

Reason to drink water often for weight loss

Weight loss is a concern for a large majority of Americans these days. Everyone wants a quick and easy way to shed those unwanted pounds. However, in many weight loss plans and eating guides, one of the best tools to losing weight is overlooked. Drinking water and losing weight have a direct link for success.

It is widely known that for a hydrated body, we should consume at least 64 ounces of water daily. Our bodies require at least this amount of water to run functionally and properly. However, if you are trying to lose weight, it is best to drink more than this recommended amount. This is suggested for many reasons.

First, we know that all caloric intake requires additional water for proper digestion. That extra water helps to raise your metabolic rate and, therefore, helps your body to burn calories faster.
Secondly, raising one's metabolic rate will also boost your energy. Boosting your energy will therefore cause you to be involved in more activity, which in turn raises your metabolic rate. The pattern tends to be cyclical.

And finally, we know that water can help prevent over eating. Hunger and thirst pains come in tandem and we usually mistake thirst for hunger. If you are willing to drink a full glass of water before indulging in a snack, you could help your weight loss efforts overall. Drinking water and losing weight prove to also be a cyclical combination.

If you are on a proper weight loss eating program, it is actually more important to drink more water, as suggested above. One helpful calculation for this increased amount is based upon your current weight. For every two pounds, you should drink one ounce of water. For example, if you weigh 250 pounds, and are on a healthy weight loss plan, you should be drinking a minimum of 125 ounces of water, daily. This increased amount of water will help aid in proper body function, digestion and up your metabolic rate.

Not only can drinking water and losing weight work hand in hand, your water consumption can show a profound improvement on your overall body health. Among other things it can help curb and regulate appetite, ease joint pain, help reduce blood pressure and improves skin.

Between drinking water and losing weight both can be helpful to our complete health and yet work in tandem together. Yet, please seek your doctor's approval before beginning any weight loss program, for proper direction.

By Jerry Dye