The Real Secret to Losing Weight

by Brent Crouch

Our society's obsession with food has really gotten out of control, and the multi-billion dollar diet industry continually bombarding us with the latest wild claims of miracle weight loss clearly reflects this. In a modern world centered around convenience, where drive-thrus have made the idea of walking into a store seem like exertion, its no surprise people want to take the easy way out when it comes to weight loss. But all those pills, shakes, and patches are a waste of hard-earned money. There is no quick fix for excess pounds. But that doesn't mean achieving your goal weight has to be complicated. Something as simple as nixing sugary caffeinated drinks in favor of pure fresh water can help jump-start your metabolism and decrease your appetite, getting you well on your way to a smaller pair of jeans.

Natural weight loss is free, and the many benefits of staying at a healthy weight can't be measured by any means. In a highly caffeinated society, water has somehow gotten pushed to the wayside and instead we are drinking empty calories instead of staying focused on the healing properties of water. Besides improving metabolism and decreasing the appetite, water also eliminates fluid retention and helps every single organ of the body perform and function more efficiently.

Five No Fail Tricks

1. The Brain: Your Best Defense in the Battle of the Bulge

Without the right frame of mind, the battle of the bulge becomes increasingly more difficult, especially as we age and our metabolism no longer seems to want to cooperate with us. Come to terms with your weight gain and what you must do to change your way of thinking. Too many of us live to eat rather than eat to live and it's becoming more and more evident in our health.

2. Arm Yourself with Knowledge

Once you've made your mental preparations, its time to do a little math. Find your Body Mass Index(BMI) by multiplying your current weight by 703, then multiplying twice by your height in inches. A BMI of 28 or above is considered overweight, while a BMI of 30 or over increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other serious diseases. To figure out how many calories you need, multiply your weight by 7. That's how many calories you should consume while trying to lose weight.

3. Pump some Iron

Without increasing your expenditure of energy, you'll never be able to lose weight and keep it from creeping back on. It's a scientific fact that we must take in less calories than our bodies need to live and function as they should. Contrary what many products claim, there is no magical pill, tablet, shake, drink, or food that will somehow mysteriously cause the excess weight to melt away from your body. Intake and output is what matters, that and increasing your metabolism to its optimal level.

4. View your Mission Log

Keep a record of your progress in a food and exercise journal so you can see just how far you've come whenever you feel like giving up. Write down the details of each workout to learn what exercises give you the best results. Having to actually write down everything you eat during the day holds you accountable and makes it less likely you'll want to sneak a few chips late at night.

5. Reward Yourself

Feeling deprived is one of the number one reasons people say they fall of the dieting bandwagon and resume their unhealthy habits usually within no time at all. Once you have met a small milestone or goal you've set for yourself, then reward yourself with something you aren't able to enjoy on a regular basis in your new, healthier lifestyle. Remember to keep setting smaller goals for yourself instead of one, seemingly insurmountable goal.

About the Author
Brent Crouch is the owner of WeightLossEtc.org. He has dedicated this site to providing information on patch weight lossand discussing other weight loss issues.

Source: goarticles.com