Getting
off the scale and on the
right track
Low-carb,
low-cal and low-fat diets
all have one thing in common:
Deprivation. This kind of
deprivation cannot be sustained
forever. Even if you meet
your goal you’ll gain
the weight back the minute
you stop starving yourself.
When
you eliminate an entire
food group or many calories
from your diet, you lose
weight but you don’t
necessarily lose fat. With
this kind of diet, your
loss consists of healthy
lean tissue and water, not
the fat you’re dying
to get rid of.
If
you’re interested in
getting and keeping a healthy
body, its best to shift
your focus away from the
scale. Your goal should
be to look and feel good,
not lose a specific number
of pounds.
How
to exercise smarter, not
harder.
If
you’re frustrated by
the results you get from
cardio workouts, it might
be time to rethink your
strategy. A reduced calorie
diet, combined with heavy
cardio-exercise actually
burns muscle along with
fat.
You
might also have noticed
that this formula never
changes your shape, only
makes it a little smaller.
If you start out pear shaped
and lose twenty pounds in
this way, you just end up
a smaller pear.
A
better choice is a nutritionally
balanced, higher-calorie
diet and resistance training
to build lean muscle mass.
The more lean tissue you
have, the more fat you burn,
and the more fat you burn
the more lean tissue you
have.
It’s
a healthy cycle that leads
to life-long success. Also,
resistance training allows
you to sculpt your body,
an important goal ignored
by many weight-loss programs.
Where
to turn for advice, training,
and support
The
diet-industry does not exactly
inspire trust with their
gimmicks, empty promises,
and high-priced temporary
solutions. So where can
you turn when you need to
get a handle on your love
handles?
There
are a few fitness experts
out there who know the secrets
of life-long weight loss:
