Stepping Off the Scale: Changing Your Shape By Ric Rooney - Guest Article Home -> The Library -> Get Off The Scale 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: Look for fitness solutions that offer education as opposed to slogans. A good weight-loss plan should have structure without demanding deprivation. Any program you choose should encourage accountability. Friendly competition can be a great motivator. Don’t shy away from programs that demand your fidelity and participation. Nothing good comes easy There is no quick-fix or miracle solution for weight-loss. But with dedication and determination you can make your body leaner, stronger and healthier. ----------------- Ric Rooney is the founder of www.PhysiqueTransformation.com, a fitness program with proven results. Visit our website to read inspiring stories from real people who transformed their bodies and got fit for life.